President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will fund match tickets for Ghanaian supporters living abroad who wish to attend games involving the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting on Sunday, May 31, the President explained that the initiative is designed to ensure Ghanaian communities in host cities are able to attend matches and actively support the national team during the tournament.
He noted, however, that the government will not be able to sponsor large groups of fans travelling from Ghana, citing the high financial cost and the need for fiscal discipline. According to him, the 2026 tournament—being hosted across three countries—has significantly increased the cost burden, making full sponsorship of fans from Ghana impractical.
President Mahama estimated that supporting a single supporter throughout the tournament could cost nearly $11,000 when including travel, accommodation, feeding, and match tickets.
“For that reason, we are not able to do mass sponsorship as we have done in the past,” he said, adding that government support will instead be targeted at organised diaspora groups and Ghanaian communities already based in host cities.
He revealed that the government has already engaged Ghanaian chapters in cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Canada, where tickets will be distributed through recognised community structures.
“What we are doing is that we are procuring tickets for Ghanaians in the diaspora who want to attend the games,” he said. “We have organised our chapters, our Ghanaian citizens in Boston, Philadelphia and Canada. The tickets that we have purchased, we will give to them to enable them to watch the matches.”
He further urged Ghanaians abroad planning to travel to match venues to connect with official community groups to ensure fair and organised access to tickets, adding that systems are being put in place to prevent confusion and ensure equitable distribution.
The initiative forms part of government efforts to maintain strong diaspora engagement while balancing rising costs associated with international sporting events.
