Sports Ministry Denies Owing Black Queens Per Diems

The Government has rejected claims that Ghana’s senior women’s national football team, the Black Queens, is owed outstanding per diems and other financial entitlements arising from their participation in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. The Ministry of Sports and Recreation, in a statement dated August 12, 2026, said the players and eligible officials had received their approved per diems and that, as of the date of the statement, Government had no outstanding per diem obligation to the team.

The clarification follows concerns attributed to members of the Black Queens regarding unpaid allowances, bonuses, welfare and Government support during the team’s WAFCON campaign. The Ministry said while players had the right to raise concerns about their welfare and entitlements, it was important for the public to have the correct information regarding the Government’s financial commitments to the team. According to the Ministry, the Black Queens and eligible officials were paid their per diems in advance on July 29, 2026, covering the period from July 26 to August 7, including the team’s participation in the WAFCON group stage and subsequent period.

It said the payments were acknowledged by recipients through signed allowance sheets. Following the team’s quarter-final exit from the tournament and its continued stay in Morocco for the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification pathway, the Government made an additional per diem payment on August 11 covering the period from August 8 to August 14, 2026. The Ministry said copies of the signed allowance sheets had been attached to its statement as evidence of the payments, insisting that there were no outstanding approved per diem obligations owed to the Black Queens.

The Ministry also distinguished between per diems and winning bonuses, saying the two payments were handled under separate procedures. The Black Queens recorded one victory during the WAFCON group stage, against Cape Verde, earning the team a winning bonus. The Ministry said the bonus was being processed and would be paid directly into the bank accounts of eligible players and officials after the completion of the required documentation, statutory deductions and other public financial processes. It stressed that the processing of the winning bonus should not be interpreted as an outstanding per diem, since the two obligations were governed by different procedures.

The Ministry further addressed reports concerning an alleged outstanding WAFCON qualification bonus, particularly claims linked to the Black Queens’ qualifying matches against Egypt. It said Ghana’s existing sports financing framework does not provide for a separate qualification bonus for WAFCON qualification through the home-and-away qualifying round. While Government supports the costs associated with the national team’s participation in the qualification process, including per diems and other approved operational expenses, the Ministry said there was no Government approval for a winning bonus for the WAFCON qualifying matches against Egypt.

The position, it added, had been communicated to the Ghana Football Association. The Ministry therefore described it as inaccurate to characterize such an unapproved payment as an outstanding Government obligation. On concerns about the players’ welfare, health and mental well-being, the Ministry said the Black Queens were being supported by a comprehensive team structure throughout the tournament. The support structure, according to the Ministry, includes a team manager, team administrator, two physiotherapists, a medical doctor, a nurse, a dietician, a chef, two management team members and additional technical officials.

It said the personnel were responsible for providing medical, nutritional, administrative and general welfare support to the team. The Ministry added that beyond these arrangements, its officials had remained available to respond to legitimate additional welfare needs brought to the attention of team management. The Ministry’s accountant, it said, had also assisted with approved payments for needs arising outside the team’s regular operational arrangements. It maintained that any specific welfare concern would be addressed through the appropriate institutional channels to ensure that the players receive the support required to represent Ghana.

Despite the dispute over financial claims, the Ministry said Government remained committed to supporting the Black Queens and the development of women’s football in Ghana. The team is now preparing for an important FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-in against Côte d’Ivoire, with a place in the qualification pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 at stake. The Ministry said the immediate priority should be to provide the players with the environment, encouragement and support needed to pursue qualification.

It urged concerns relating to financial entitlements and player welfare to be raised and addressed accurately and transparently through the appropriate institutional channels. “Government remains firmly behind the Black Queens,” the Ministry said, expressing its best wishes to the team as it continues its campaign to secure a place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

By: Joyce Owusu