A few days ago in Accra, I watched with a cocktail of sublime feelings as new diaspora citizens were handed Ghanaian passports by the Vice President and the Minister for the Interior.

It was more than a ceremony. It was symbolism.

Ghana was saying: You belong.

And it struck me — if we are wondering how to fill stadiums with Ghanaian supporters at the 2026 World Cup, why are we not mobilising the very people we have welcomed back into our national family?

2026 FIFA World Cup

The tournament will be hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Based on available census and migration data:
• United States: Approximately 250,000 Ghana-born residents, with the total Ghanaian population probably higher!
• Canada: Roughly 55,000–65,000 people of Ghanaian origin
• Mexico: A much smaller Ghanaian community

Conservatively, that is well over 300,000 people of Ghanaian descent already living in host countries.

They don’t need visas.
They already have accommodation.

Why spend $18 million flying 2,000 supporters from Accra when we have a ready-made cheering base on the ground?

Even Ghanaian cultural groups can be hired overseas for drums, trumpets, etc.

Let me make this practical.

My friend, Nii Kwakwei Ackumey, 38, Accra Academy alumnus, proud Hearts supporter, lives in Worcester, Massachusetts. Father of four with Gertrude.

Nii works remotely for Warner Brothers. Give him a ticket in the popular stand and a replica Black Stars jersey, and he will take a few days off and travel domestically to support Ghana.

And importantly, thousands of Ghanaian students are across American and Canadian universities.

Students are organised.
Students are loud.
Students are passionate.

Provide free match tickets and replica jerseys, and they will mobilise enthusiastically at relatively low cost. Many can travel within their states or provinces by bus, train or short domestic flights.

Instead of $18 million, we could cap expenditure at $2 million maximum. That saves $16 million.

Now imagine what $16 million can do at home:
• Buy hospital beds and critical equipment
• Procure buses for Metro Mass Transit
• Cushion fuel price escalations
• Build basic schools
• Construct Astro turfs and community sports complexes
• Strengthen the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to create more sustainable jobs

If we invest well at home, our young people may not even feel compelled to travel abroad in the first place.

There is also a practical consideration. When large numbers travel on public sponsorship, there is always reputational risk if some fail to return. That embarrassment can carry diplomatic consequences.

Why create avoidable risk when we have a diaspora solution?