President Mahama has urged fans to stick to visa guidelines ahead of 2026 World Cup
President John Dramani Mahama addressed various issues in the sporting sector during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered in Parliament on Friday, February 27, 2026.
In his address, the president urged Ghanaian supporters traveling with the Black Stars to the United States to return when they are required to do so.
He noted that his administration had worked tirelessly to restore the 5-year non-immigrant visas. He therefore advised fans to comport themselves and adhere to guidelines in order to safeguard this status.
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“Mr Speaker, supporters and others interested in going to support their team will have to submit visa requests to the American Embassy. We are being told that we must ensure that supporters who travel return on their visas. It has taken a lot of work to restore Ghana’s 5-year non-immigrant visas and remove us from the ban list. It is my hope that this event will not send thousands of Ghanaians to America and put us back on the ban list,” he said.
President Mahama also urged the Black Queens to improve their performance at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after placing third in the previous edition.
“Mr Speaker, the Black Queens will compete at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, building on their bronze medal finish in Morocco,” he noted.
He also expressed optimism about Ghana’s participation in upcoming competitions, including the Youth Olympic Games and the 2026 Commonwealth Games, hoping for success from the athletes.
“At the youth level, Ghana will participate in the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar with a multidisciplinary team aimed at strengthening long-term elite pathways. We will also compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, reinforcing Ghana’s presence across the Commonwealth sporting landscape,” he added.
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