Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, says the Black Stars’ 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign could carry a deeper meaning as a tribute to victims of the May 9 Stadium Disaster.
He made the remarks while linking Ghana’s return to the global showpiece with one of the darkest moments in the country’s football history.
The tournament will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and Adams believes the team should also carry the memory of those who died in 2001.
“We will once again be arriving in the USA, Canada, and Mexico for a major global event,” Adams said. “We pray that the departed souls will guide us and that our performance will further honor their memory.”
The May 9 disaster happened at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2001 during a Ghana Premier League match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko. About 127 fans lost their lives after police fired tear gas into the crowd, and it remains one of the most painful events in Ghana’s sporting history.
Each year, the country remembers the victims and continues to call for better safety at stadiums.
Adams also stressed the importance of education about the tragedy, especially for younger fans.
“Some supporters were not even born then; it is through such commemorations that they come to understand what truly happened,” he added.
By: Pascal Amoah
