President John Dramani Mahama has announced that government will purchase match tickets for Ghanaian supporters in the diaspora to enable them attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting on Sunday, May 31, President Mahama said the initiative is designed to support Ghanaian communities abroad who wish to cheer on the Black Stars in host cities during the tournament.

He explained that unlike previous editions, government will not be able to fully sponsor large groups of supporters travelling from Ghana due to significant financial constraints and the need for fiscal discipline.

According to him, the 2026 tournament, hosted across three countries, has substantially increased the cost of supporting fans, making it impractical to fund travel, accommodation, feeding, and match tickets for large delegations from Ghana.

He estimated that supporting a single fan throughout the tournament could cost nearly $11,000, a figure he said makes mass sponsorship unsustainable under current economic conditions.

As a result, government will concentrate its support on Ghanaian communities already living in host cities, rather than organising large travel contingents from Ghana.

“What we are doing is that we are procuring tickets for Ghanaians in the diaspora who want to attend the games. So if you want to attend the game, you will get a ticket to attend the game,” he said.

He added that arrangements have been made with Ghanaian community chapters in cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Canada to distribute the tickets to fans.

“The tickets that we have purchased, we will give to them to enable them to watch the matches,” he noted.

President Mahama urged Ghanaians abroad who intend to attend matches to coordinate with recognised community organisations to ensure fair access to the tickets.

The announcement forms part of broader government engagement with the Ghanaian diaspora ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Ghana’s supporters are expected to play a visible role in backing the national team.