2026 World Cup: Why pay a purse holder $10,000? – Assafuah questions Black Stars spending

Vincent Ekow Assafuah, ranking member of Parliament for the Youth and Sports Committee, has raised questions about payments allegedly made to officials accompanying Ghana’s Black Stars to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This inquiry emerged following Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams’ testimony before Parliament’s Select Committee on Sports to explain expenditures linked to Ghana’s World Cup venture.

In an exclusive conversation on Asempa FM, Assafuah highlighted the minister’s attempts to compare current payments with past arrangements, but emphasized the need for further clarification on certain financial dealings. Assafuah specifically referred to claims of payments of $10,000 or more to individuals identified as purse holders, chefs, caterers, and security personnel.

He expressed disbelief at the substantial amount paid to someone tasked with managing funds for players and officials. "You take people to the United States and Canada as part of the officials of the Black Stars. Then you pay that person $10,000," Assafuah remarked. Furthermore, he questioned the justification behind the reported hefty sums paid to support staff, such as the chefs and caterers receiving 1.2 billion old cedis each, and the security officer receiving 120,000 old cedis.

Assafuah pressed for clarity on the duration of time these individuals spent in service to the team, asking, "You pay a chef 1.2 billion old cedis. You pay a caterer 1.2 billion old cedis. You pay a security officer 120,000. For how many days?" His comments are part of broader concerns about the spending and accountability of officials who were present with the Black Stars during their World Cup campaign.

Ghana participated in four matches at the 2026 World Cup, culminating in a 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Round of 32 in Kansas City.