'Secret' World Cup travel slots for NDC supporters — Minority alleges
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the government of covertly facilitating travel arrangements for some supporters to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite assurances by President John Dramani Mahama that the government would not sponsor fans to the tournament.
According to the Minority, actions by some government officials and members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) appear inconsistent with the President's publicly stated position.
The allegations were made by the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu, during a press conference in Accra on Tuesday [June 10, 2026].
Mr Iddrisu claimed that each NDC Member of Parliament has been allocated two slots to nominate individuals for travel to the World Cup.
He further alleged that District Chief Executives (DCEs) have been directed to allocate three slots in every constituency.
He argued that if the government is indeed not sponsoring supporters to attend the tournament, then the reported allocations raise concerns about transparency and fairness.
"Why is it the case that the President is saying something, but the Ministry of Youth and Sports is doing something else? Why is it the case that they said they are not sponsoring supporters to go to the World Cup, but they are giving NDC MPs two slots each, and they are giving their constituencies three slots through the DCEs?" he questioned.
Mr Iddrisu also expressed concern about the potential impact of the alleged arrangement on Ghana's international reputation, particularly in relation to visa applications for travel to the tournament.
"It is denting the image of Ghana. If you go to the American Embassy today, over a thousand people have applied, but they have issued fewer than a hundred visas because the right thing has not been done. They are not properly screened, and when they do things like that, it dents the image of Ghana," he stated.
The Deputy Minority Chief Whip contended that the alleged allocation system contradicts the government's stated position and creates the perception that opportunities to attend the World Cup are being distributed on the basis of political affiliation rather than through a transparent and equitable process.
The government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports are yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
