The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has challenged allegations surrounding Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup visa arrangements, with its spokesperson, Wonder Sitsofe Mandel, urging the public to distinguish between documented facts and claims that remain under investigation.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Mandel explained that the Ministry has decided to present its records publicly in response to a “consistent misinformation and misleading documents” circulating over the controversy.
He indicated that the engagement is intended to clarify the sequence of events and establish the respective responsibilities of the institutions involved.
The press conference follows demands by the Minority in Parliament for investigations into alleged irregularities involving the Ministry, the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and private partner TRIBE Culture Fest. The Minority has also called for the removal of Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams and GTA Chief Executive Officer Maame Efua Houadjeto, pending investigations.
However, Mr Mandel cautioned against treating disputed claims as established facts, particularly where dates, figures and documents were concerned. He added that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is already investigating aspects of the matter and that the Ministry would cooperate with the process.
“The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has no intention in shielding anybody. And I repeat, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Minister of Sports and Recreation have no intention in shielding anybody.”
Wonder Sitsofe Mandel
The spokesperson further disclosed that the Ministry intended to place relevant documents and timelines before journalists to enable independent scrutiny of the claims. He identified Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Minority’s Ranking Member on Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, as having made allegations concerning the Ministry and the Minister that require examination against primary records.
In outlining the Ministry’s position on accountability, Mr Mandel said the investigation should determine whether any individual or organisation engaged in unlawful conduct.
“If investigations established that any public official, private organization, or any individual collected money unlawfully, misrepresented applicants to a diplomatic mission, falsified institutional information, abused public office, or personally benefited from any improper arrangement, that person must answer for it.”
Woder Sitsope Mandel
Meanwhile, the GTA has separately denied collecting money in exchange for visa opportunities and rejected claims of personal involvement by Mrs Houadjeto. The Authority has explained that its role was limited to tourism promotion, participant identification and guidance on application procedures.
World Cup Visa Process Began With April Embassy Meeting
The government’s engagement with the United States Embassy over travel arrangements for the 2026 FIFA World Cup began on April 9, 2026, months before a disputed list of prospective travellers became a subject of public scrutiny, according to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
The Ministry’s spokesperson, Wonder Sitsofe Mandel presented a chronology of the initial diplomatic engagement, explaining that the meeting involved a government-established oversight committee tasked with coordinating preparations for Ghana’s participation in the tournament.
The committee brought together representatives from several public institutions, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Sports and Recreation, and Youth Development. The Deputy Chief of Staff, a representative of the National Security Coordinator, football legend Abedi Pele and a representative of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) were also included.
Mr Mandel explained that the committee was created to prevent separate institutions from managing World Cup-related arrangements independently. He noted that the tournament’s hosting across the United States, Canada and Mexico required coordination because of the financial and logistical demands involved.
Providing documentary details, the spokesperson referred journalists to a United States Embassy diplomatic note dated April 17, 2026, with reference number 2026/02887. The document, he explained, recorded the earlier discussion and proposed a follow-up technical meeting involving experts from the embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the GFA.
The proposed meeting was scheduled for April 24, 2026, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to finalise visa application arrangements for the Black Stars, support staff, government officials and government-sponsored individuals or entities.
Mr Mandel clarified that the coordination framework was designed to facilitate the submission of applications and consular engagement, without transferring decision-making authority from the diplomatic mission to Ghanaian institutions.
“The Embassy retained responsibility for independent verification, interviews, administrative processing, approval, and refusal of application.”
Wonder Sitsope Mandel
The spokesperson also disclosed that the diplomatic note outlined a dedicated visa interview arrangement for the Black Stars team and support staff on June 5, 2026, between 9am and 11am. It further indicated that the embassy could consider an earlier date if the Ghanaian side provided the necessary clarification promptly.
For players and support staff residing outside Ghana, the arrangements allowed applications to be made through the appropriate United States diplomatic mission abroad, subject to advance notification of the individuals and their intended application locations.
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