$10.5m World Cup Windfall: $9m to Sports Development, $1.5m for Team Prep
Kofi Adams, Minister for Sports and Recreation, has set out how the plan of the country to handle the funds earned from qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the tournament’s expanded format guarantees each nation at least $10.5 million for participation, made up of a $9 million basic prize for reaching the initial group phase and a further $1.5 million designated to help cover preparation costs.
He explained that the $1.5 million portion will be spent directly on readying the national team for the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. However, he indicated that the larger $9 million share is set to be deposited straight into Ghana’s recently created Sports Development Fund, a structured financing mechanism that was approved into law by Parliament on December 18, 2025 to support lasting investment in sporting infrastructure, athlete welfare, grassroots programmes and other disciplines beyond just football.
Adams told Citi Sports that this arrangement is intended to improve financial openness and create legacy projects such as new facilities that can be traced back to World Cup revenues. He also noted that while the full $9 million is earmarked for the sports fund, there is proviso for adjustments if unavoidable extra costs arise. This strategy marks a clear shift from previous methods, where FIFA earnings often attracted scrutiny over how they were spent, and aims to make sure international competition earnings benefit a broad range of sports initiatives in Ghana over the long term.
