Gov’t commits GH¢150m to Blacks Stars’ 2026 World Cup campaign

The government has earmarked GH¢150 million to fund the Black Stars’ preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a move aimed at ensuring the team is adequately ready long before global football governing body FIFA disburses its tournament participation funds.

Ernest Henry Norgbey, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports, confirmed the allocation, emphasizing the necessity of early financial intervention.

“The government has allocated about GH¢150 million for the preparation as we speak now,” Mr. Norgbey disclosed. “But we still need funding because, yes, we know that FIFA will be giving us some amount of money, but that amount of money will not come before even the preparation.”

The Member of Parliament for Ashiaman clarified that the funds are designated for broader sports development rather than exclusively for the World Cup. A portion of the allocation will be directed toward upgrading sports infrastructure and supporting other sporting disciplines across the country.

To supplement the public funds, Mr. Norgbey has appealed to the private sector for support. He highlighted the recent passage of the Sports Fund Bill as a legislative framework to facilitate this, encouraging corporate organizations to contribute to a sustainable financing model.

“And that is why it was very good to pass the sports funds bill in Parliament. Corporate organisations should contribute to it so that we can get enough funds to organise programs and prepare for the tournament,” he appealed. “The fund is not only for this particular World Cup; it will also be used to develop sports facilities in the country.”

The Black Stars are set to face a challenging group stage after being drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across three North American nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.