File photo of the Black Stars
President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that the government will not mass transport Ghanaians to the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup to support the country's senior men's national football team, the Black Stars.
President Mahama explained that the country would not be mass transporting Ghanaian supporters because the cost involved makes it unrealistic for the government.
Speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting in London on Sunday, May 31, 2026, the president said that his government cannot afford to spend such an amount of money because of its commitment to fiscal discipline.
According to him, the total cost of transporting a supporter to the event — including travel, accommodation, feeding, and match tickets — is estimated at approximately $11,000, an amount he described as far beyond what the state can reasonably sustain.
“We are restricted because of the nature of this particular World Cup - it is being held in three countries. We are playing our first match in Canada, then we will be moving to Boston, and from there to Philadelphia. The cost of transporting, feeding, and accommodating each supporter is beyond our means.
"We say we are being fiscally disciplined. We cannot spend our money in that manner. The cost for each person to be fed, accommodated, transported, and all that, including tickets to watch the games, is estimated at almost $11,000,” he stated.
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President Mahama disclosed that the government will instead procure match tickets for Ghanaians living in the diaspora who wish to attend the tournament fixtures in the host cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
He added that the government would also focus on supporting the supporters' union, whose members are always with the national teams, at the 2026 World Cup.
Watch a video of his remarks below:
@citisportsghana 🎥 🇬🇭 “Transporting, feeding, ticketing and accommodating each supporter is estimated to cost almost $11,000, which is beyond our means.” “We have committed to fiscal discipline and cannot spend public funds in that manner,” —President John Mahama. #CitiSports #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #ghanafootball #worldcup #blackstars ♬ original sound - Citi Sports ⚽️
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