The Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has disclosed that the country earned $9.5 million despite exiting the Qatar 2022 World Cup at the group stages.
Henry Asante Twum said the GFA plans to use the money from the tournament to refurbish the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence.
“Ghana earned $9.5 million at the group stage of the World Cup,” he said on Asempa FM, as quoted by 3Sports.
“The plan now is to turn Ghanaman Centre of Excellence into at least a 3-star hotel with a 60 to 70 capacity. We want to raise the standard of the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence so that it can host matches of all our national teams.”
Ghana suffered a group-stage elimination at the World Cup after being paired in a group with Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Otto Addo’s side managed to win against South Korea but lost to Portugal and Uruguay, as they finished bottom of the group.
Before the tournament, the Sports Ministry had estimated that $8 million will be spent on the Black Stars’ group stage campaign.
However, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif confirmed after the World Cup that $5,171, 840 was spent on the team in Qatar, thereby saving almost $3 million on the initially estimated budget.
“Our estimated budget at the group stage was $8.1 million. Out of this estimated budget Mr. Speaker, our total expenditure for the group stage participation amounted to $5,171, 840,” Mustapha Ussif said on the floor of Parliament in December.
“These expenditures covered appearance free, per diem, flight arrangements, medicals, equipment logistics, and hospitality.”
He added: “Mr. Speaker the reason for the surplus of $3 million after our exit from the group stage is the result of the ministry’s prudent management of resources as well as the ministry’s decision to negotiate on qualification bonus for the next round instead of paying winning bonuses per match.”
“What this means is that in spite of our black stars defeating South Korea in our second group match we did not pay any winning bonus for that game.”
The Black Stars’ next assignment will be in March when they play in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Pulse
