Former Sports Minister Isaac Kwame Asiamah has asserted that the government cannot afford to overlook the sponsorship of supporters for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He argued that a national team simply cannot participate in such a prestigious competition without the presence and passion of its fans.
Speaking in an interview on Rainbow Sports, Asiamah emphasised that support for the national team is crucial, noting that, globally, fans are the ones who define the aesthetic and spirit of football. From his perspective, they bring the necessary excitement, joy, and inspiration to the pitch.
To illustrate his point, he cited the COVID-19 era when fans were excluded from stadiums, an intervention that he believes significantly diminished the quality of the spectacle.
“Whether we like it or not, the involvement of the fans makes the game of football more exciting and beautiful. All over the world, the fans make football exciting. Without them, football will not survive. You remember when COVID-19 hit the world, fans were excluded from our games and that affected the beauty of football. It rendered it dead.”
The former Minister further noted that while the involvement of the corporate world is important, Ghanaian businesses often lack the financial strength to independently shoulder the costs of airlifting supporters to the World Cup.
He posited that without government intervention, it would be difficult for the private sector to manage the logistics alone.
Consequently, he was emphatic that the government must commit resources to augment whatever donations the corporate world provides.
“The strength or financial capacity of our corporate bodies is limited. It would not have been a problem if they had the capacity to sponsor the airlifting of fans to the World Cup, but they don’t have the capacity and so government must certainly get involved.”
In addition to direct sponsorship, Asiamah suggested a strategic alternative to manage costs.
He noted that for the upcoming tournament in the United States, the authorities could mobilise Ghanaians already residing there to support the players.
This arrangement, he stated, would help reduce the significant expenditure required to fly supporters out from Ghana. Ultimately, he insisted that the game cannot be successfully separated from its fans.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana