- President Mahama has stated the estimated cost to sponsor an individual supporter from Ghana to cheer the Black Stars on during the 2026 World Cup
- According to President John Mahama, due to the cost involved, the government has devised a strategy to reduce cost but still have supporters for all matches
- President Mahama made this known and shared all the details when he spoke at a diaspora town hall meeting on Sunday, May 31, 2026
President John Dramani Mahama has announced the support the government will give to Ghanaian supporters to watch the Black Stars matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
President Mahama was speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting on Sunday, May 31, 2026, when he shared the details.
Photo credit: @JDMahama
Source: Facebook
Mass World Cup sponsorship expensive
The President disclosed that it is unrealistic to transport Ghanaian supporters from Ghana to the venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to the total cost involved.
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He indicated that the estimated cost per supporter is about $11,000, which President Mahama claimed was beyond what the state can reasonably sustain for mass travel arrangements.
“We cannot, you know, spend our money in that manner. The cost approximates for each person to be fed, accommodated, transported, and all that to watch the games, tickets, and all that is estimated at almost $11,000,” he said.
President Mahama took the opportunity to reaffirm the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline.
He emphasised that the government can not use public funds to cover the full package of travel, accommodation, feeding, and match tickets for large numbers of fans.
He stated that hosting the tournament across three countries significantly increases costs, making it impractical to cover.
According to President Mahama, this means, unlike previous World Cups, the government would not be able to fully sponsor large groups of supporters travelling from Ghana.
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Government to buy tickets for Ghanaians abroad
According to President Mahama, due to the high cost involved in sponsoring supporters from Ghana, the government has decided to purchase match tickets for Ghanaians living abroad who wish to support the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This will allow for Ghanaian communities in host cities to attend matches and cheer on the national team during the tournament.
“What we are doing is that we are procuring tickets for Ghanaians in the diaspora who want to attend the games. So if you want to attend the game, you will get a ticket to attend the game.”
“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,” President Mahama added.
He further entreated Ghanaians abroad who intend to travel to the match venues to reach out to recognised community groups, adding that plans are far advanced to ensure fair access to the match tickets.
Source: YEN.com.gh
