President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to exercise utmost responsibility in their travel plans for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, warning against actions that could jeopardize the country’s visa privileges.
Delivering his second State of the Nation Address on the floor of Parliament on February 27, 2026, the President cautioned citizens not to allow the euphoria surrounding the global football spectacle to culminate in immigration breaches.
“It is my hope that the FIFA 2026 World Cup will not turn into a ‘visa ban’ for thousands of Ghanaians traveling to America and refusing to return, which could put Ghana back on the U.S. ban list,” President Mahama stated.
He noted that the government has expended significant diplomatic effort to restore Ghana’s five-year non-immigrant visa status after earlier violations triggered restrictions. Consequently, he appealed to supporters intending to attend the tournament to follow due process when applying for visas and to honour the terms of their stay.
“We must ensure that everyone who travels returns safely on their visas,” he emphasized.
President Mahama further underscored the importance of Ghana’s participation in major international sporting events, describing it as pivotal to national branding, economic advancement, and global prestige.
Beyond the FIFA Men’s World Cup, Ghana’s 2026 sporting calendar features several key engagements, including:
The Black Queens’ campaign at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations
Participation of a multidisciplinary youth contingent at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar
Ghana’s involvement in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, reinforcing the nation’s presence within the Commonwealth sporting fraternity
He concluded by stressing that strict adherence to international travel regulations remains indispensable to preserving Ghana’s hard-earned access to global opportunities in sports.
Ghana was previously placed on the U.S. visa restriction list following compliance breaches by some travelers, but the government has since worked diligently to restore the country’s five-year non-immigrant visa privileges.