Black Stars have spirit and support to go far at World Cup – Kofi Adams

Ghana's Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, believes the Black Stars may not possess the biggest names in world football, but says the team has the spirit, momentum and backing to make a significant impact at the FIFA World Cup.

Speaking on Joy News' PM Express on Wednesday, Adams pointed to growing enthusiasm among Ghanaians both at home and abroad as a key source of encouragement for the national team ahead of the tournament.

The Buem MP said supporters across the diaspora are already making plans to follow the Black Stars, creating what he described as a strong foundation for Ghana's World Cup campaign.

"I think the energy level is quite high," Adams said.He noted that support for the team extends beyond the United States, with Ghanaians in Canada and Europe also preparing to travel to cheer on the four-time African champions.

"Ghanaians in Canada are ready, and Ghanaians even in Europe are planning to travel that far to also go and watch on their own. The energy is building up in Accra and beyond," he said.

According to the minister, the level of commitment being demonstrated by supporters provides the Black Stars with a valuable boost as preparations continue.

"In terms of preparation and support, whether you are talking about Ghanaians in the diaspora or Africans in the diaspora generally, they are yearning to be behind Ghana. Many things are falling in place for us," he added.

Adams suggested that the relatively modest expectations surrounding the current squad could work to Ghana's advantage, contrasting the team with previous generations that carried greater individual star power.

"That is why I say that this World Cup, you may think that we don't have the stars, but let me tell you that we have a team that has a certain spirit behind them that will take us very far," he said.

The minister also highlighted the tournament draw and host-city allocations as factors he believes could favour Ghana, noting the strong Ghanaian presence in several of the locations where the team is expected to play.

"Just analyse the draw and the cities that we got. These are cities that are heavily loaded with Ghanaians," Adams said.

He singled out Toronto as one example, pointing to the city's sizeable Ghanaian community and broader African diaspora population.

"If you go to Canada, you will know that Toronto has a huge Black population, and Ghanaians are there. We didn't choose it," he said.

Ghana will be hoping that the strong support expected from fans across North America and beyond can help inspire another memorable World Cup campaign.