Ghana has secured the right to host the 2028 African Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament in August 2027, following a successful bid by the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF), despite Nigeria initially receiving provisional hosting rights.
In an October 21 email to Ghana Boxing Federation, World Boxing Director of Events Paulo Ferreira confirmed that Ghana’s bid for the 2027–2029 period had been selected following a review by the World Boxing Executive Board.
“We are happy to confirm that your bid has been successfully selected,” Ferreira wrote.
Nigeria, specifically Abuja, was provisionally awarded hosting rights in early August, subject to the submission of key documents.
However, Dauda Fuseni’s lobbying and Ghana’s comprehensive bid have now secured the prestigious competition, offering African boxers a pathway to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“It is very crucial we get the nod to host this prestigious event,” Fuseni told Graphic Online's Prince Dornu-Leiku.
“We are very excited about the news, and we assure Africa that we are going to host this competition in fairness with great humility and integrity.”
The GBF president called on government, the media, the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and corporate institutions to support preparations.
“We urge everyone to come on board to support us. The media, government, GOC and corporate bodies are all invited to get on board for this historic event. This will give us the opportunity to qualify more boxers than usual for the Olympic Games,” he said.
World Boxing has proposed August 13–22, 2027, for the tournament, with Ferreira confirming that work on the Host City Agreement is underway.
“Congratulations to the Ghana Boxing Federation for a successful bid,” World Boxing stated.
“Let’s get ready to start another round of hard work in pursuant of a successful tournament in August 2027.
“The work begins now. There’s no time at all. We are only 9 months away.”
The hosting rights present Ghana with an opportunity to showcase its organisational capacity, strengthen amateur boxing and give its boxers a home advantage in their quest for Olympic qualification.
With preparations expected to begin immediately, the GBF faces the challenge of mobilising resources, infrastructure and stakeholder support to deliver a successful tournament.
