Hon Kofi Iddie Adams
Buem
Mr Speaker, my intention originally was to make a full statement on the Black Stars and the status of football in Ghana, but considering the time constraints we have, I would return to the House to talk about the football generally based on the concerns raised by this august House.
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to present an important update on the state of football in Ghana, our preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and the strategic measures that have been put in place to reposition our domestic league. The Statement is a key part of the football agenda of the Government which seeks to restore discipline, structure, and excellence in our national football ecosystem, while leveraging sports as a tool for economic growth and national development.
Mr Speaker, football is more than just a sport in Ghana; it is the heartbeat of our people and a symbol of national pride. However, in recent years, challenges such as hooliganism, declining infrastructure, inconsistent player development, and financial instability have hindered our progress. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR), in collaboration with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and other key stakeholders, has prepared a multi-faceted reform strategy aimed at strengthening matchday security, improving sports infrastructure, ensuring the full preparedness of the Black Stars, reviving the Ghana Premier League, and increasing private investment in sports.
Mr Speaker, the journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is not just about qualification; it is about national resurgence. Football has the power to unite us, inspire our youth, and drive economic growth. But to succeed, we must reset our approach, embrace accountability, and work together as a nation. Today, I stand in this august House to rally the nation behind this mission: a mission to restore Ghana’s footballing glory, create a thriving sports industry, and elevate our national teams to the heights they once commanded.
Mr Speaker, let me commend the support my Ministry has enjoyed from the Majority Leader, Hon Mahama Ayariga; the Minister for Education, Hon Haruna Iddrisu; and Hon Samuel Awuku, MP for Akuapem North. Ghana currently shares the top position in Group I of the CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, tied with Comoros on 9 points from four matches, with Comoros being superior due to goal advantage. However, our campaign remains highly competitive, and the next two matches will be crucial in securing qualification: Friday, 21st March, 2025: Ghana vs Chad (Home – Accra Sports Stadium), and Monday, 24th March, 2025: Ghana vs Madagascar (Away, but would be played in Morocco).
Mr Speaker, while we remain in contention, the performance of our national team, over the past decade, has steadily declined making a football reset an urgent necessity. The statistics are alarming:
• Since 2010, Ghana has won only 40 per cent of our competitive international matches, a sharp decline from our 58 per cent win rate in the previous decade.
• We have failed to progress past the group stage in three of our last four international tournaments, including AFCON 2021 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• The Black Stars FIFA World Ranking has plummeted from 14th in 2008 to 77th today, the lowest in over two decades.
• It has been 43 years since Ghana last won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1982. Worse still, Ghana failed to qualify for AFCON 2025 in Morocco, a tournament now accommodating 24 teams. This is unacceptable.
Mr Speaker, these statistics reflect deeper structured issues within our football ecosystem. If we are serious about restoring the football dominance of Ghana, we must take deliberate and bold steps to rebuild from the ground up. The Government is fully committed to fixing our football by:
• Investing in grassroots football development to ensure a steady pipeline of talent.
• Strengthening scouting networks to ensure that only the best players represent Ghana, regardless of background.
Mr Speaker, the Black Stars Technical Team has assured me qualification. It is about national resurgence. Football has the power to unite us, inspire our youth, and drive economic growth, but to succeed, we must reset our approach, embrace accountability, and work together as a nation. Today I stand in this august House to rally the nation behind this mission. A mission to restore Ghana’s footballing glory, create a thriving sports industry, and elevate our national teams to the heights they once commanded. Let me commend especially the support my Ministry has enjoyed from the Majority leader, Hon Mahama Ayariga, and the Minister for Education, Hon Haruna Iddrisu, and Hon Samuel Awuku, MP for Akuapim North.
Mr Speaker, Ghana currently share the top position in Group I of the CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, tied with Comoros, on nine points from four matches. They, however, are ahead of us in terms of goal advantage. However, our campaign remains highly competitive, and the next two matches will be crucial in securing qualification. On the 21st of March 2025, Ghana will play host to Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium, and on Monday 24th, Madagascar will be hosting Ghana bet in Morocco.
Mr Speaker, the Black Stars technical team has assured my Ministry that all necessary preparations have been made, and that the players are in high spirit, ready to give their all for the nation. This commitment is evident in the call-up squad released by the head coach. Beyond the tactics and selection, the technical team is tasked with instilling a winning mentality in our players. We must restore pride in the Black Stars’ jersey, and ensure that our national team once again becomes a force to be reckoned with in African and global football. Their success, however, will require continuous investment, national support, and a shared vision for Ghana football.
Mr Speaker, as part of our preparation for the World Cup qualifier against Chad on March 21st, 2025, the Ministry has undertaken significant infrastructure enhancement at Accra Sports Stadium to meet the required standards. Key innovation areas include the dressing rooms, mixed rooms, safe zones, pitch area, infotainment system, scoreboard, sanitary facilities, floodlights, and the press area and media centre.
Mr Speaker, recognising the agency of these upgrades, my Ministry directly engaged the Presidency for immediate action, ensuring that the major concerns were expedited and addressed. I have personally conducted regular inspections at the stadium to oversee these improvements and ensure full readiness for the match.
Mr Speaker, in 2010, under the previous NDC Government, Ghana stood on the brink of history, one kick away from becoming the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semifinal. That spirit, determination, and excellence must be restored. Ghana football has always been a source of national pride and unity, and we must work collectively to reclaim our rightful place on the global stage.
Mr Speaker, I call on all Ghanaians to rally behind our national teams. Let us fill our stadium, support our players, and rekindle the passion that once made Ghana football a powerhouse. Football is not just a game; it is a unifying force, an economic driver, and a platform for national progress. In this regard, I commend the Ghana Supporters Union, led by Hajj Polo, for the electrifying atmosphere they have generated around our games. Beyond public support, corporate Ghana must always step forward. Our national teams need strategic partnerships, sponsorship, and financial backing to thrive. Football is a powerful marketing and brand-building tool, and businesses that invest in our sport will not only support national development but also gain valuable visibility and engagement with millions of passionate fans.
I urge corporate bodies, both public and private, to actively support Ghanaian football through sponsorship, infrastructure investments, innovative collaborations and campaigns that can drive the growth of the sport.
Mr Speaker, this is a national mission, and it requires the support of everyone, including this august House. I extend a special invitation to all Members of Parliament to join us in this stance as we support the Black Stars in their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Chad on Friday, 21st March 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the Accra Sports Stadium. Let us lead by example. Let us show that when it comes to national football, we are united in purpose, passion and patriotism. Ghana’s football must rise again and rise it will. Mr Speaker, thank you very much
Hon Patrick Yaw Boamah
Okaikwei Central
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Let me commend the Minister for making this Statement.
Mr Speaker, the Minister and the Government knows the interest of Ghanaians when it comes to football and for some time now, Ghanaians have been bleeding with the performance of the Black Stars. Given the amount of money we have been spending on our national team and the kind of results they produce, Mr Speaker, this should be a turning point in the life of the national team, the Black Stars. I have seen the list from the coach. I have seen the arrival of some of the key players into the national team, who are playing Madagascar on Friday and Chad on Monday. We expect the team to deliver all six points, to give the nation some hope that they are serious with regard to the investment and the emotions Ghanaians attach to the national team.
Parliament will give the national team the due support, and I entreat the Minister to support Members to come to the stadium with some complimentary. We are not asking for VIP. I loved the popular stand, when I can speak, where I can speak my mind, on top there —Popular stand so, we wish the national team the very best, and we ask the technical team, the management team, and the executive committee of the National Football Association to put in everything that is required of them to ensure that we garner all the six points needed to cushion us enough.
It is not reasonable, it does not sit well with us, for a team like Comoros to be beating us back-to-back. I do not understand how Hon Haruna Iddrisu’s Steadfast team in Tamale can beat Comoros. Why not our national team? So, they need to be serious with their kind of players, and look at this game time they have in Europe. Bournemouth, Semenyo, Sulemana in Southampton, Pate is a regular at Arsenal, and Jordan Ayew at Leicester, Kudus at West Ham. They are all top-class players, but when they come here, we do not see commitment from them, and that is what hurts a lot of Ghanaians. So, when one goes to the dressing room and to give them some pep talk, talk to them, that if we invested so much in them, and since 1992, we have not won any medal, apart from the bronze we got from Barcelona —
So, we wish them well, but we will criticise them when they poorly perform. Thank you very much.
Hon Haruna Iddrisu
Tamale South
Mr Speaker, let me thank you for the opportunity and thank the Hon Minister for Youth and Sports for calling on the country to cheer up and support the Black Stars. We need nothing, but a win.
Indeed, Mr Speaker, it is disappointing that the Black Stars could not qualify for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), and have failed to win in their last six matches. That is not the Black Stars of Ghana. But there is something fundamentally wrong. Mr Speaker, with interference from the football association, there will be limitations, but he has to be firm. He has to be very firm in his dealings with it. At the local level,
Mr Speaker, officiating is poor. Not the best at all. And the pitches, Mr Speaker, let me share this with the Minister. Currently, I use Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, Tamale as a venue for Karela United Football Club. Even with the field, it is not the state, not the National Sports Authority (NSA), but we have had to fix it for our purposes in order to meet the minimum requirement of the GFA in order to use the pitch for the purpose of our competitive football. So that is why I say that he has to have a lot of interest. The GFA, where are they spending their money on? He must raise those questions for every tournament.
Mr Speaker, even just participating, you marvel at how much money Ghana will make from participating in a World Cup. The players even have personal benefits. In fact, the players who went to Qatar, a player who appeared only once went home with not less than US$90,000 as his participating reward or benefit. Not to talk of how much the country got. If we fared better and got to the semifinals and finals, the bigger the reward. So, Mr Speaker, we have no excuse against Chad.
Our reputation in football has waned over the years because of the indiscipline. I am happy he has shared with me that he wants to activate school sports and school competitive football. That is where talents are.
Mr Speaker, today if we are sending players to Europe, they are now looking for players who are 14, 15 or 18 years old. In fact, even for the Premier League, one may want to ask if that is where one belongs. Because one gets these players at that level, but their value is in 15, 16 or 17. Look at the academies and how much right to play is making. And we need, as the Minister said, partnership; we must get the private sector. I think that corporate entities as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility must support football.
Indeed, Mr Speaker, it is a very profitable undertaking if we are successful even with just one player
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