President John Dramani Mahama has explained why the government will not sponsor the mass transportation of Ghanaian supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting in London on May 31, 2026, Mahama said the cost of transporting and accommodating supporters for the tournament is too high for the government to bear.
According to him, the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline makes such spending unrealistic.
“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,” he said.
Mahama noted that the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, presents additional logistical challenges because teams and supporters will have to travel between multiple countries and cities.
He revealed that the estimated cost of supporting one fan throughout the tournament, including travel, accommodation, feeding, and match tickets, is about $11,000.
“We are restricted because of the nature of this particular World Cup. We are playing our first match in Canada, then we will be moving to Boston, and from there to Philadelphia. 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.
Instead of transporting large numbers of supporters from Ghana, the president said the government plans to provide match tickets for Ghanaians living in the diaspora who wish to support the Black Stars during the tournament.
He added that support would also be extended to members of the national supporters’ union, who regularly travel with Ghana’s national teams.
The Black Stars are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will represent Ghana on football’s biggest stage.
@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 ⚽️
