Government releases GH¢76m World Cup funding for Black Stars campaign
The Government of Ghana has released more than GH¢76 million to support the Black Stars’ participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, providing a major financial boost as the national team prepares to begin its campaign in North America.
In a statement issued on Friday, the government announced that the Ministry of Finance had approved the release of GH¢76,466,919.20 to cover the team’s preparations, participation costs and outstanding qualification bonuses ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The funding package includes GH¢58,929,500.00, the cedi equivalent of US$5 million as an advance allocation to support the Black Stars’ training programme and operational expenses during the group stage of the competition.
Government officials said the early release of the funds underscores their commitment to ensuring the players and technical staff have the resources needed to compete effectively on football’s biggest stage.
A further GH¢17,537,419.20, equivalent to US$1.488 million, has been approved to settle outstanding qualification bonuses owed to players and officials following Ghana’s successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
The payment fulfils an agreement reached during the qualifiers, under which team members received half of their bonuses during the campaign, with the remaining balance scheduled for payment upon securing qualification for the tournament.
The Black Stars wrapped up their final training camp in Washington, D.C., earlier this week before relocating to Providence, Rhode Island, where they will continue preparations ahead of their opening fixture.
Led by head coach Carlos Queiroz, Ghana will begin their Group L campaign against Panama in Toronto on 17 June before facing England in Boston on 23 June. Their final group match will be against Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June.
The tournament marks Ghana’s fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup, having previously competed in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022. The Black Stars’ most memorable run came in South Africa in 2010, where they reached the quarter-finals and came within a penalty shootout of becoming the first African nation to advance to the semi-finals.
Government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the national team and the broader development of sport in Ghana, expressing confidence that the timely release of funds will allow the players to focus fully on their World Cup ambitions.
The statement also urged Ghanaians to continue backing the Black Stars as they embark on another global campaign, with hopes high that the team can deliver a strong performance and make the nation proud.
Comments (0)