Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has firmly defended the government’s logistical and financial support for national team supporters at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, addressing intense parliamentary scrutiny and public backlash over the expenditure of state resources. Speaking during a briefing before Parliament’s Select Committee on Youth and Sports, Adams asserted that the administration acted within strict legal boundaries, facilitating fan travel without violating the core recommendations of the Justice Dzamefe Commission. His comments come amid fierce criticism from the parliamentary Minority caucus, who have questioned a substantial GH₵58.9 million expenditure on World Cup logistics, but the minister maintained that the state’s role was always to enable support, not to fund it throughappropriated public budgets.
The core of the minister’s defense centers on the distinction between state facilitation and the misuse of Parliament-appropriated funds. Adams revealed that approximately $1.26 million was spent to procure 2,922 tickets for Ghana’s three group-stage matches in Group L against Panama, England, and Croatia. These tickets were strategically distributed among members of the Ghana Supporters Union, Ghanaians living in the host nations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the Ghana Students Association, government officials, and selected Ghana Football Association officials. Adams strongly denied allegations of political interference, emphasizing that the selection and distribution process was insulated from politicians and constituency offices to ensure a fair allocation.
Adams grounded his government’s policy in the findings of the Justice Dzamefe Commission, which investigated the financial irregularities surrounding Ghana’s participation in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The commission explicitly barred the state from utilizing direct public funds to transport fans to international tournaments, a guideline Adams says his administration strictly adhered to. “We never said in a way that we were not going to send supporters. We were not going to use budgeted funds as appropriated by Parliament to ferry supporters because that is what the Justice Dzamefe Commission report said. It said if government has to facilitate, government must not use budgeted funds,” Adams stated, drawing a clear line between legislative appropriation and executive facilitation.
Looking ahead to the tournament’s demanding logistical landscape, Adams noted the extreme costs associated with the tri-nation hosting model, which made fully sponsoring large traveling contingents from Ghana financially unfeasible. To counter this, the government secured 1,000 tickets in advance for Ghanaian communities residing in the host cities, aiming to bolster the Black Stars’ presence in the stadiums. The minister also offered a direct apology to diaspora supporters who may have harbored misconceptions about the initiative, clarifying that the program was never intended as a universal free giveaway. “They thought everybody who would walk to the stadium would get a ticket from us. We never said so,” Adams remarked, concluding his defense with a call for understanding as Ghana seeks to make a competitive return on the world stage.
