Ghana's World Cup travel saga deepens as Tribe Culture Fest insists it never took a cedi from fans chasing US, Canada and Mexico visas.
Ghana's road to the 2026 World Cup is now tangled in a visa controversy that puts the spotlight on how African supporters can be left vulnerable when they chase tickets to the sport's biggest stage. Tribe Culture Fest has rejected claims that it collected money from people who were promised visas to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Chief executive Nana Boateng Gyimah addressed the allegations at a press conference on Sunday, October 18. They follow claims by Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams involving payments reportedly totalling $611,000 tied to Ghana's World Cup travel plans. Gyimah said the company's work with the National Sports Authority (NSA) and other institutions was strictly about event management and logistics, covering hotel bookings, transportation, security and travel arrangements.
"Our dealings were institutional arrangements relating to specific programmes and activities," he said, stressing they were not personal financial deals with private individuals seeking visas to the US, Canada or Mexico. He added that Tribe charged $3,000 and $2,000 as full and final payments for the services it delivered, and that it had received no money directly from visa seekers.
Gyimah also said the company had been told that some individuals allegedly paid between $14,000 and $20,000 to people at the NSA in exchange for help securing visas. Those claims remain allegations, and the questions about who received what, and why, are still hanging over the process.
For Ghanaian fans dreaming of following the Black Stars across North America, the stakes are real. Hosting a 48-team tournament across three countries means big travel demand, and big opportunities for anyone looking to exploit it. Supporters should stick to official channels and be wary of anyone promising shortcuts on visas. Afroballers will keep tracking this story as it develops.
