Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Eric Edem Agbana, says the government should not use public money to send supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The next World Cup will be the biggest ever, with 48 teams and 104 matches to be played in cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Ghanaian fans are well known for creating a lively atmosphere at international tournaments and are often called the team’s “12th man”.
But speaking to Sammie Wiafe on Eyewitness News, Agbana said government money should be used for more important needs.
“This is my very personal view and I hope I’m not misquoted,” he said. “I have tried to do some rough calculations on what it would cost government to send a single supporter to the World Cup, even just for the group stages, and if you ask me, I do not think government should invest public funds to take supporters there.”
According to him, sending one supporter, including flights, match tickets, accommodation and basic allowance could cost about $9,000.
“If you take just one supporter, it will cost around $9,000. If government intends to send about 2,000 supporters, we are talking about roughly $18 million,” he explained.
Agbana said that money could be better used to improve sports facilities in the country.
“If you spread 2,000 supporters across the 276 constituencies in Ghana, each constituency would get less than ten people. If you asked me to bring even ten people from Ketu North to the World Cup and spend about $90,000, I would rather say use that money to build an AstroTurf or a sports complex in my constituency,” he said.
He added that many Ghanaians can travel to tournaments on their own, and there are also large Ghanaian communities in the host countries who will support the team.
“A lot of people are able to travel on their own, and we also have many Ghanaians living in those countries who will support the team,” he said.
Agbana suggested that the government should instead invest in grassroots sports by building pitches and modern facilities for young athletes.
“Beyond the World Cup, you will still have a turf or a sports complex where young people can train and develop their talents,” he noted.
He added that although some countries use private sponsors to support fans’ travel, Ghana should focus on building sports infrastructure that will benefit the country in the long term.
By: Pascal Amoah
