Kumasi, April 22, – The United States Embassy in Ghana has unveiled a nationwide fan engagement programme dubbed “16 by 16” to ensure that all regions of the country participate in the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The initiative, being rolled out in partnership with the Ghana Tourism Authority, will feature organised viewing centres and related activities across the 16 regions to bring the tournament closer to communities.
Mr Matthew Asada, Acting Public Affairs Officer at the Embassy, announced this during an interaction with sports journalists in Kumasi aimed at enhancing media coverage of the Black Stars ahead of the global tournament.
He explained that the Embassy would leverage its American Spaces network to support the initiative, particularly through the organisation of watch parties during matches involving Ghana and the United States.
Mr Asada said the programme was designed to broaden access to the World Cup experience, especially for fans who may not have the opportunity to travel to the host countries.
He noted that the initiative would also serve as a platform to strengthen cultural ties between Ghana and the United States, which is among the host nations for the expanded tournament.
“The idea is to bring the World Cup atmosphere to communities across Ghana so that no one is left out of the experience,” he said.
He added that the Embassy was collaborating with key stakeholders to deliver engaging activities that would enhance public participation throughout the tournament period.
Mr Asada also indicated that measures had been introduced to support Ghanaian fans seeking to travel to the United States for the matches, including the deployment of additional visa officers in Accra to speed up processing.
He said visa appointment waiting times had dropped significantly from about 15 months in 2024 to less than one month in 2026.
The Acting Public Affairs Officer further highlighted ongoing training initiatives by the Embassy to build the capacity of Ghanaian journalists in ethical and accurate sports reporting.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the largest edition of the tournament, featuring 48 teams and over 100 matches.
GHBUSS
April 22, 2026
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