Kofi Adams
Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has acknowledged that several of Ghana’s national football teams are owed outstanding winning and qualification bonuses, assuring that government is working to settle the arrears.
The Buem MP revealed that the affected teams include the Black Queens, Black Stars, Black Princesses, Black Satellites and the Black Maidens.
According to him, while a number of teams are yet to receive bonuses, the Black Stars have the least outstanding payments after government cleared all their qualifying bonuses from 2023 to 2025 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“The Black Stars were paid all their qualifying bonuses and appearance fees before the World Cup. The only outstanding payment is the qualification bonus for reaching the Round of 32,” Adams said.
He explained that the delay in paying some bonuses is partly due to provisions in the new Sports Act, which requires a percentage of bonuses and other financial benefits paid to athletes and officials to be deducted at source for a national sports development fund.
Adams, however, assured that steps are being taken to secure the release of funds from the Ministry of Finance to pay the Black Queens, Black Princesses, Black Satellites and Black Maidens what they are owed.
The Black Queens are currently in Morocco preparing for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), while the Black Princesses have already qualified for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The Minister’s comments come amid growing calls from stakeholders for a more transparent and timely system of paying bonuses to Ghana’s national teams.
BY Wletsu Ransford