The government has allocated GH¢782 million to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation in the 2027 Budget to supportsports development and improve the welfare of people involved in the sector.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced the allocation when he presented the 2027 Budget Statement andEconomic Policy to Parliament on Thursday.
“We have allocated GH¢782 million to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to support the development of sports and thepeople who participate in it,” Dr Forson told Parliament.
The funding is expected to support several interventions aimed at improving Ghana’s sporting infrastructure, expandinggrassroots participation and creating better opportunities for athletes to develop their careers.
A major component of the government’s proposed sports development programme is the construction of 10 multipurposesports stadia in underserved regions across the country.
The facilities are expected to have seating capacities ranging from 5,000 to 12,000, providing additional sportinginfrastructure in areas with limited access to such facilities.
The planned projects form part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s sports sector and improve opportunities forpeople participating in different sporting disciplines.
The proposed construction of 10 multipurpose stadia is among the key infrastructure commitments outlined in the budget.
The facilities are intended to improve access to sporting venues, particularly in underserved regions, while providingspaces for sporting activities and competitions.
Beyond infrastructure development, the government has also outlined plans to strengthen the policy and regulatoryframework governing sports in Ghana.
These include completing the National Sports Policy and its implementation framework to provide direction for thedevelopment of the sector.
The government also intends to finalise regulations under the Ghana Sports Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1159), while reviewingthe Sports Act, 2016 (Act 934).
The proposed policy and legislative interventions are expected to support the broader development agenda for sports andestablish a framework for implementing the government’s plans.
The 2027 Budget also places emphasis on developing sporting talent through structured school and grassrootsprogrammes.
The government plans to strengthen these initiatives to improve the identification of promising athletes and create clearerpathways for their progression.
School and community-level sporting activities are important components of the talent development process, providingopportunities for young people to demonstrate their abilities and advance to higher levels of competition.
The proposed interventions are therefore expected to complement investments in sporting facilities by strengthening thestructures through which athletes are identified and developed.
The budget also identifies athlete development and the welfare of people involved in sports as part of the broaderpriorities supported by the GH¢782 million allocation.
Another major sporting activity outlined in the budget is Ghana’s preparation to host the 2027 CAF Under-20 Africa Cupof Nations.
The 12-nation competition is expected to provide opportunities for growth in sports tourism and generate economicactivity in the hospitality and transportation sectors.
Hosting the tournament is also expected to complement the government’s wider efforts to improve sporting infrastructureand promote Ghana as a destination for major sporting events.
The competition will bring together young football talents from across Africa, offering Ghana an opportunity to showcaseits capacity to host international sporting competitions.
However, the budget announcement does not provide a detailed breakdown of how the GH¢782 million will bedistributed among the various programmes and projects.
In particular, the specific amounts earmarked for stadium construction, national teams, athlete welfare and theorganisation of sporting competitions have not been established by the headline allocation.
Further details on the distribution of the funds will therefore be important in determining how much financial supporteach priority area will receive.
The GH¢782 million allocation represents the government’s overall financial commitment.
