The Ministry of Youth and Sports has revealed that a total of $1,650,000 was spent on Ghana's underwhelming performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Initially setting a budget of $25 million for the 34th edition of AFCON in Ivory Coast, the Ministry ended up underspending the allocated budget due to the Black Stars' failure to progress beyond the group stage.
Had the team advanced to the Round of 16, each player was set to receive a $30,000 qualification bonus. However, the team's inability to move forward resulted in a significant saving of $810,000, considering the 27 players in the squad.
The former head coach, Chris Hughton, would have been entitled to a $60,000 bonus, and the remaining members of the technical team collectively receiving $21,000. In total, the team's failure to qualify from Group B translated to a saving of $891,000.
Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif is expected to present a detailed account of Ghana's expenditures during the Ivory Coast tournament when he appears before Parliament in the coming days.
Despite making their 24th appearance in the tournament, Ghana's performance was lackluster, finishing 3rd in Group B with only 2 points. The Black Stars faced a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Cape Verde in their opening match and went on to draw with Egypt and Mozambique in subsequent group games.
