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Journalist unearths discrepancies in Ghana’s FIFA World Cup prize money payouts

3 mins read
Journalist unearths discrepancies in Ghana's FIFA World Cup prize money payouts

In a surprising turn of events, Ghana's share of the 2022 prize money has come under scrutiny, revealing a discrepancy between the reported and actual payouts.

JoySports investigations indicate that the (GFA) received $7.9 million instead of the widely publicized $9 million.

According to reliable sources, the GFA communicated the adjusted figure to the Ministry of , contradicting the earlier statement by Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif in November 2022, who had assured that Ghana would receive $9 million for its participation in the World Cup group stages.

The government, through a letter from Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Opare, allocated $2.5 million of the funds to the GFA for a Legacy Project at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

However, a significant portion of the prize money, $5.4 million, has been retained by the state, justified as costs incurred during the national team's qualification for the tournament.

A deeper look into the expenditure raises questions about the reported use of funds. The GFA claimed that part of the money was spent on acquiring yellow cards during the tournament.

Communications Director of the FA, Henry Asante Twum, stated in July 2023 that $80,000 was paid for yellow cards at the 2022 World Cup in .

JoySports cross-checked this claim with other participating countries, and none confirmed such payments to for yellow cards. The Disciplinary Department has yet to respond to inquiries on this matter.

The 2022 competition regulations suggest that sanctions for yellow cards are primarily suspensions, with fines being a less common occurrence.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee's 2022/23 report reveals fines totalling $3.5 million, but it does not specify if these include fines for yellow cards received at the World Cup.

There is uncertainty about whether the reported yellow card expenses were deducted from the source or paid by the GFA while in Qatar.

FIFA, in response to JoySports' queries, referred to its 2022 annual financial report, indicating that Ghana and 16 other countries received $9 million each for exiting the competition in the group stage.

Despite FIFA's clarification, questions remain unanswered, and the GFA is yet to respond to inquiries seeking further clarity.

If the reported yellow card expenses are deducted from the prize money, Ghana's actual receipt would be approximately $8.92 million, further deviating from the initially reported $7.9 million.

Possible reasons for the $1.02 million difference are speculated to include additional costs for accommodation, feeding, internal transportation, and unsold match tickets.

FIFA, while not providing specific reasons, noted that Participating Member Associations can use the prize money to settle certain services and/or tickets.

The controversy deepens as Ghana, between 2019 and 2022, received $4.8 million of its FIFA Forward 2.0 money, representing 71% of the total due, according to FIFA documents.

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