Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams disclosed that the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth, Sports and Culture Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, personally requested and received three Category 1 match tickets valued at $450 each (totaling $1,350) for Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opening group-stage match against Panama.
The disclosure comes during an ongoing parliamentary feud over Ghana’s World Cup spending, after the Minority caucus led by Assafuah demanded a line-item reconciliation of public funds used for flights, hotel stays, delegates, and spectator tickets.
Key Highlights of the Exchange
Minister’s Account & Ticket Allocation Breakdown:
$1.26M Total Ticket Bill: Minister Kofi Adams revealed before the committee that government spent $1.26 million to purchase 2,922 tickets across Ghana’s group-stage encounters against Panama (948 seats), England (1,000 seats), and Croatia (974 seats).
Allocation to Assafuah: Speaking in an interview with TV3, Adams noted that Assafuah requested three Category 1 seats for the Panama game which were provided directly to him.
“Vincent Assafuah requested three tickets for the Ghana vs Panama game, and it was allocated to him. The tickets valued at $450 each.” — Kofi Adams (Minister for Sports and Recreation)
Vincent Assafuah Pushes Back:
Official Parliamentary Allocation: Assafuah confirmed receiving the three tickets but pushed back against attempts to personalize the request, stating they were allocated officially for members of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee carrying out oversight duties.
Demand for Line-Item Audit: Assafuah insisted that receiving official committee tickets does not deter the Minority from demanding a complete audit of all 2,922 seats, delegation travel lists, and operational expenditure.