Government ends Black Stars World Cup ticket support scheme after group stage

The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has officially brought the government's Black Stars World Cup group-stage ticket support scheme to an end following Ghana's completion of its three Group G matches at the FIFA World Cup.

In a statement issued on June 29, 2026, the Ministry said the initiative was introduced to support Ghanaian fans in Canada, the United States and across the world, but was limited to the Black Stars' group-stage fixtures.

According to the Ministry, 2,922 tickets were secured under the scheme, with 948 allocated for Ghana's match against Panama, 1,000 for the England game and 974 for the Croatia encounter.

The Ministry stressed that "these tickets were not for commercial sale, but formed part of a coordinated national support intervention for selected Ghanaian supporters, recognised supporter groups, sponsors, stakeholders and diaspora community structures."

The statement explained that the allocation was coordinated through Ghana's diplomatic missions in Canada and the United States, in collaboration with recognised supporter groups, sponsors and diaspora associations, with tickets distributed electronically through FIFA's official mobile ticketing platform.

Responding to criticism from supporters who missed out on tickets, the Ministry acknowledged the overwhelming demand.

"Demand was far higher than the number procured, reflecting the strong love and support for the Black Stars. We fully understand the disappointment of supporters who could not be accommodated within the limited allocation," the statement said.

The Ministry also confirmed that government assistance with tickets will not continue beyond the group stage.

"The Ministry confirms that the Government ticket allocation covered only Ghana's group-stage matches. There is currently no Government-supported ticket arrangement for any subsequent stage of the competition," it stated.

Fans hoping to watch any future Black Stars matches at the tournament have been advised to purchase tickets through FIFA's official ticketing platform or accredited ticketing agents.

In a move aimed at promoting transparency, the Ministry announced that "the list of persons, groups and institutions who received tickets under the scheme will be published at a later date, once the appropriate publication format is agreed."

PAH/VPO

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