Ghana has commenced high-level discussions with the United States and Canadian governments to facilitate visa arrangements for football fans following the Black Stars’ qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup,Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Mr Ablakwa said he held separate meetings on Tuesday with officials from the US Embassy and the Canadian High Commission to discuss visa facilitation for Ghanaian supporters who plan to travel to North America for the tournament.
The Ghanaian delegation included Ms Betty Krosbi Mensah, Technical Advisor to the Minister for Youth and Sports, Ghana Football Association (GFA) President and CAF Vice President Mr Kurt Okraku, as well as senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Sports.
The American team was led by Acting US Ambassador Mr Rolf Olson, while Acting Canadian High Commissioner Mr Dennis Roussel headed the Canadian delegation.
Mr Ablakwa said the meetings aimed at creating a shared understanding of expectations and procedures, improving coordination, and developing clear working arrangements to make the visa process smoother for all parties involved.
The discussions also covered special visa provisions for football fans, officials, and the national team, separate from the regular application channels.
A notable outcome of the talks, according to the minister, was the confirmation that the recent lifting of US visa restrictions on Ghanaians which had limited visas to single entries would now allow for multiple-entry visas.
This change will enable Ghanaian fans to travel freely between the United States, Canada, and Mexico during the tournament.
“Our Embassy friends and I are grateful to GFA President, Kurt Okraku, for the Black Stars replica jerseys,” Mr Ablakwa wrote in his post.
He added that a meeting with officials from the Mexican Embassy would take place on Friday.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament will be staged across three countries.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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