Kofi Adams says Ghanaians kept paying alleged fixers for US and Canada visas despite repeated warnings ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Ghana's World Cup dream has come with an ugly side story. Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams says some Ghanaians paid money to people promising to fix visas for the 2026 tournament in North America, even after he warned them again and again not to.
According to Adams, information gathered after the tournament suggests some applicants handed cash to individuals, including people allegedly holding official positions. He says all of this happened without the Ministry's knowledge. The claims raise uncomfortable questions about who was trading on the name of Ghana's sports administration, and how easily supporters were persuaded to part with their money.
The Buem MP says he used his platform on several occasions before the tournament to caution the public against paying anyone who claimed they could pull strings for a US or Canadian visa. His message was blunt: nobody should give money to a person offering to secure a visa through personal connections or influence.
Adams singled out two types of claim in particular. One came from people who said they were friends of the Sports Minister. The other came from people who said they sat on the World Cup oversight committee. Both, he said, used those links to demand payment for supposedly influencing visa decisions.
His advice for anyone planning future trips is to work only with registered organisations, such as travel and tour companies, that operate with established procedures and binding contractual obligations. For fans chasing a once-in-a-generation tournament experience, the lesson is clear. A big name and a big promise are no substitute for a legitimate process.
