President Mahama has urged supporters travelling to the USA for the 2026 World Cup to respect their visa duration and return at the designated time.

According to the President, the government put in a lot of effort to ensure safe and smooth travel for fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Consequently, during his delivery of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 27, on the floor of Parliament, President Mahama explained the challenges Ghana faced following US travel restrictions affecting several African countries.

“Supporters and others interested in going to support the team would have to submit visa requests to the American Embassy. We were informed that we must ensure supporters who travel [to the tournament] return on their visas. It has taken extensive work to restore Ghana’s five-year non-immigrant visas and to remove us from the ban list.”

Mahama urged fans to strictly follow visa regulations, warning that violations could have broader diplomatic consequences.

“I hope that this event will not result in thousands of Ghanaians going to America and jeopardising our position on the visa list.”

The Ghana Football Association has confirmed that the team will be based at Bryant University in the United States throughout the competition.

The US govt warns Ghanaians about visa stay

The president's remarks come just a few days after the Charge d’Affaires, Mr Rolf Olson, gave the warning at a media engagement on Friday in Accra to clarify visa procedures and appointment availability ahead of the tournament.

He stressed that travellers must depart the United States before the authorised stay expires.

“People who have exceeded the terms of their visa are breaking the law, and we will take that very seriously,” Mr Olson noted.

He indicated that overstaying a visa could negatively affect future applications, as U.S. immigration law treated such violations with gravity.

Govt to sponsor some supporters in partnership with private sector investors

Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, has announced a new twist in supporters' sponsorship by the government for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Comoros in their final Group I qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 12, marking the country’s fifth appearance at football’s biggest tournament, which will be hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Past governments have mostly offered some form of financial support, be it full or partial, for supporters who travel to attend the World Cup. However, it has become a challenge over the years due to financial constraints.

Consequently, in early November last year, Kofi Adams noted that, although it has been a long-standing practice, he “doesn’t recommend” it.

However, in a recent radio interview on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show in Accra on February 5, he acknowledged the tradition of sponsoring fans to support the Black Stars, adding that it is for that reason that his outfit has set up a fundraising committee.

“The policy that we should take for fans is clear. It is clear that we should work at it, and that is why we have set up a fundraising committee. The number we would take ultimately will depend on how much we raise,” he stated.

He explained that the government seeks to sponsor some Ghanaian fans for the 2026 World Cup so Ghana will have strong support at the tournament.

The government believes Ghana should not only be represented by its team but also by its fans. However, he detailed that the number of supporters will be heavily dependent on the funds available to the government.

He continued that, as part of the fundraising committee’s task, is to raise resources to cover travel and accommodation for supporters who will journey to back the Black Stars at the tournament.

He acknowledged, however, that the plan requires significant financial backing, prompting the government to appeal to the private sector and the general public for support.

“This is why we are appealing to corporate bodies, companies, mining firms and well-meaning individuals to come on board and support this initiative,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Adams explained his objection to the government funding supporters to the World Cup, citing the need for the government to prioritise investment in the country’s sports infrastructure instead of spending it on fan sponsorship.

“We are in a period of austerity. We need money to build sports infrastructure in Ghana. If we are going to spend money to transport supporters all the way to America, that same amount can build five multipurpose parks in some communities,” he stated.

While confirming that government funding is off the table, Mr Adams encouraged individuals and corporate organisations to step in.

“I believe there are a lot of Ghanaians in those areas. Anyone who wants to go should find their own resources; we can facilitate their travel documents. Or we can mobilise support from corporate bodies, both private and public, to assist the fans.

“Government can collaborate with corporations to support, which would be a good idea, but putting government money into the budget to take supporters, I don’t think so,” he added.