The National Sports Authority (NSA) asked the Sports Ministry to help secure visas for 90 people linked to planned activities around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has said.
The individuals were described as “volunteers and event coordinators” in a letter signed by the authority’s former Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, October 11, Mr Adams said the letter set out plans for events in both Ghana and the United States and requested assistance with visa processing for those expected to help organise them.
He said the Ministry had not been aware until May 19, 2026, that some of the proposed activities were due to take place in the United States.
“Some of the activations were supposed to take place in the United States and up till May 19 we didn’t know that they will have some activations in the United States,” he said.
“Then this letter written by the Director-General of the NSA introduced to us activities that will be done in Ghana and in the United States, for which reason they need support to be able to process visas for what they describe as volunteers and event coordinators. There was a list attached which was 90 volunteers.”
Mr Adams also said the American Embassy had introduced Tribe Fest Culture to the NSA and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) during a meeting at the embassy.
He said the circumstances of that introduction had led to questions about whether officials at either state institution had used the relationship for an improper purpose.
“Tribe Fest Culture, I’m told, was introduced to the National Sports Authority and the Ghana Tourism Authority by the American Embassy. That is what my investigations told me,” he said.
“The American Embassy introduced them to the NSA and the GTA at a meeting at the American Embassy.
“That is why I am even shocked. They (US Embassy) have every right to question if anybody at the NSA or GTA took advantage of that introduction and relationship to do something untoward.”
Mr Adams said the information available to him referred to the proposed events as “activations”, although he did not clarify the precise meaning of the term.
“They would be the best persons to come and explain what activation means,” he said when asked to define it.
According to the minister, the US Embassy planned to stage events in Ghana under a concept called “16 by 16”, as the United States would host the World Cup.
The proposal was for 16 events, one in each region, with the main activities planned for Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, Tamale in the Northern Region and Cape Coast in the Central Region.
Those three locations were expected to provide viewing points on selected match days, using NSA facilities. Mr Adams said his understanding was that Tribe Fest Culture would be responsible for the events, or “activations”.
