Minority alleges NDC MPs given priority slots for 2026 World Cup sponsorship

The Minority in Parliament has accused the Ministry of Sports and Recreation of deviating from a presidential directive regarding support for Ghanaian fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup, raising concerns about transparency in the selection process.

The allegations were made by the First Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, during a press conference on Tuesday, June 9, where he also called on the Sports Minister to provide Parliament with a comprehensive update on Ghana’s preparations for the tournament.

According to Mr. Iddrisu, Parliament has not been adequately briefed on key aspects of the Black Stars’ World Cup campaign, including training arrangements, camping plans, and budgetary allocations.

“The Minister responsible for Youth and Sports did not brief Parliament on anything. We don’t know the preparation, we don’t know anything, we don’t know where they are training, we don’t know where they are camping, we don’t know their budget,” he stated.

The Minority lawmaker further alleged that supporters' slots intended for the World Cup had been distributed along partisan lines. He claimed that the official Supporters Union had received 90 slots, while members of the Majority Caucus had allegedly been allocated two slots each to nominate individuals for sponsorship to attend the tournament.

“At the moment, the Supporters Union were given 90 slots as part of their preparations towards the World Cup. The Majority Caucus made up of 189 members were given two slots each that they should bring people for them to be sponsored for the World Cup,” he alleged.

Mr. Iddrisu argued that the alleged allocations contradict President John Dramani Mahama’s earlier position that government support would primarily target Ghanaians living in host countries rather than financing large groups of supporters from Ghana.

He questioned why the government's stated policy appeared inconsistent with the alleged arrangements and warned that the process could create perceptions of unfairness and political favoritism.

The Minority also expressed concern about reports of large numbers of visa applications linked to the tournament, suggesting that inadequate screening procedures could negatively affect Ghana’s international reputation.

Responding to the allegations, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga dismissed the claims and argued that visa issuance falls outside the authority of the Government of Ghana.

“I think that to accuse the Minister of having allocated slots and etc. I think that that is not really appropriate for him to state in this Chamber. The issue of issuance of visas are not matters within the competence of our Government to answer,” he said.

The controversy adds a new dimension to discussions surrounding Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with calls mounting for greater clarity on supporter arrangements, funding, and the overall strategy for the country’s participation in the tournament.