Kofi Adams proposes joint Ghana–Nigeria–Côte d’Ivoire bid to host future FIFA World Cup

Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has called for a long-term strategic plan to position Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire as joint hosts of a future FIFA World Cup, citing the global body’s growing preference for multi-nation tournaments.

Speaking on the heels of Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Adams urged the government to begin laying the groundwork for a West African bid, pointing to recent examples such as the 2026 tournament in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and the 2030 edition set to be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.

“They [FIFA] are beginning to adapt a number of nations doing it,” Adams said. “So maybe, who knows — the next one would be Ghana, Nigeria, and then Côte d’Ivoire coming together to also host the World Cup, and it will be good.”

He emphasized that the three countries already have a strong foundation of infrastructure and experience, with Côte d’Ivoire recently hosting the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, and Ghana staging the 2023 African Games (held in 2024).

“We, together with Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, who have already invested quite a lot… we can also ask for that right,” he added.

A Vision for West Africa

Adams’ proposal aligns with FIFA’s evolving model of shared hosting, which reduces the burden on single nations while promoting regional cooperation. A successful bid would mark the first-ever World Cup hosted in West Africa, unlocking opportunities for:

• Infrastructure development


• Tourism and trade promotion


• Pan-African cultural diplomacy


• Youth and grassroots sports investment