The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has explained the rationale behind his decision to cut down the Black Stars’ budget for their 2026 World Cup qualifying games against Chad and Mali.
Speaking at the official launch of the CAVB Zone III Volleyball Club Championship in Accra on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the minister disclosed that the reduction was a deliberate step to ensure other sporting disciplines also benefit from government resources.
“I can assure you that as minister, I am working very well to make sure that even though we give football what it deserves, we will not give it beyond what it needs to be able to develop, so we can make provisions and serve other sports also.
“That explains why not so long ago, you heard me deciding to slash some budgets, and some people didn’t understand because there is a need for other sports also to benefit,” he added.
Sports Ministry slashes Black Stars budget from $2m to $1.3m
His comments come weeks after his decision to cut the Black Stars’ allocation for the Chad and Mali qualifiers sparked debates among football stakeholders.
While the move was criticized in some quarters as unfair to the senior national team, the minister insists it was necessary to promote balance in sports funding.
For decades, football has dominated Ghana’s sporting budget, often at the expense of disciplines like volleyball, athletics, and boxing.
Kofi Adams’ latest stance signals a shift towards more equitable distribution, with the government keen to spread investment beyond the nation’s most popular sport.
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