The Ministry of Youth and Sports has revealed an expenditure of $1,650,000 on Ghana’s underwhelming performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Originally budgeting $25 million for the 34th edition of AFCON in Ivory Coast, the Ministry fell short of utilizing the entire allocated budget due to the Black Stars’ failure to progress beyond the group stage.
Had the team advanced to the Round of 16, each player would have been entitled to a $30,000 qualification bonus. However, the team’s inability to move to the next stage resulted in a significant saving of $810,000 for the nation, considering the 27 players in the squad.
The former head coach, Chris Hughton, would have been entitled to a $60,000 bonus, with the remaining technical team members receiving a collective $21,000. In total, the team’s failure to qualify from Group B saved $891,000.
Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif is expected to appear before Parliament in the coming days to provide a detailed account of Ghana’s expenditures during the Ivory Coast tournament.
Despite making their 24th appearance in the tournament, Ghana’s performance was lackluster, finishing 3rd in Group B with only 2 points. The Black Stars suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Cape Verde in their opening match and went on to draw with Egypt and Mozambique in their subsequent group games.
