The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over what it describes as an unfair and politically biased process in the selection of supporters to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accusing the Sports Ministry of allocating sponsorship slots to Members of Parliament.
At a press conference on Tuesday, June 9, Deputy Minority Chief Whip Habib Iddrisu alleged that despite a directive suggesting priority should be given to Ghanaians living in the tournament’s host countries, a different arrangement appeared to be in place.
According to him, the Ministry has not provided Parliament with a clear briefing on preparations for the tournament, including training arrangements, camping plans, and budgetary allocations for the national team.
“We don’t know the preparation, we don’t know anything, we don’t know where they are training, we don’t know where they are camping, we don’t know their budget,” he said.
Mr. Iddrisu further claimed that supporters’ groups had been allocated limited slots, while Members of Parliament from the Majority side were allegedly given two slots each to nominate individuals for sponsorship to the tournament.
“At the moment, the Supporters Union were given 90 slots as part of their preparations towards the World Cup. The Majority Caucus made up of 189 members were given two slots each that they should bring people for them to be sponsored for the World Cup,” he alleged.
He argued that such an arrangement, if true, raises serious questions about transparency and fairness in the selection process, and risks undermining public confidence in government communication regarding World Cup preparations.
Mr. Iddrisu also questioned what he described as inconsistencies between the presidency’s position and actions taken by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, suggesting possible contradictions in policy direction.
“Why is it the case that the president is saying something, but the Ministry of Youth and Sports is doing something else?” he asked.
He added that any perception of partisan allocation of travel opportunities would be damaging to Ghana’s image, especially in situations involving visa processing and international scrutiny.
Responding to the allegations, the Majority Leader criticised the claims, arguing that visa issuance is not under the control of government and cautioning against what he described as inappropriate assertions made in Parliament.
He maintained that the government cannot be held responsible for decisions relating to visa approvals by foreign embassies.
