No government role in World Cup ticket sales – Kofi Adams

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has rejected suggestions that tickets secured for Ghanaian supporters ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are being sold through unofficial channels, insisting that the government is not involved in any ticket trading arrangement.

He explained that much of the discussion surrounding the tickets stems from misconceptions about the arrangements being put in place for Ghanaian fans who intend to travel to the tournament.

According to him, government efforts have focused on facilitating supporter participation rather than engaging in any commercial ticket sales.

The Minister noted that several private entities, including travel and tour operators, have independently developed fan travel packages for the tournament.

He stressed that these businesses operate on a commercial basis and are free to charge for services such as travel, accommodation, and logistics, which should not be mistaken for government-controlled ticket distribution.

“We are not using budgetary allocations, we are not taking money from state coffers to fund or do what it is that we are doing,” he said.

Mr Adams further explained that the government deliberately chose to engage private companies and sponsors to support supporter mobilisation, reducing any financial burden on the state while encouraging broader participation from the private sector.

Speaking on Citi FM on Monday, June 1, the Minister also highlighted measures introduced to curb ticket fraud and unauthorised resale.

He disclosed that Ghana’s arrangement with FIFA is based on an electronic ticketing system that links tickets directly to individual email addresses, making it more difficult for tickets to be traded on the black market.

The Minister added that in some instances, tickets may be allocated to groups of up to 20 supporters, with a designated leader responsible for coordinating access to match venues.

He maintained that the current system offers greater transparency and security than previous World Cup arrangements, while ensuring that genuine supporters have a fair opportunity to back the Black Stars during the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)