The United States Embassy introduced TRIBE Culture Fest to Ghana’s National Sports Authority and Ghana Tourism Authority ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup events, Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams said on October 11.
Adams spoke on TV3 while addressing questions about the involvement of TRIBE Culture Fest in a visa controversy linked to World Cup activities. “Tribe Fest Culture, I’m told, was introduced to the National Sports Authority and the Ghana Tourism Authority by the American Embassy. That is what my investigations told me,” he said.
The revelation comes amid growing scrutiny over arrangements involving TRIBE Culture Fest, the NSA, and the GTA for activities tied to the World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Questions have emerged about how names were submitted to foreign embassies and the role of public institutions in supporting travel for World Cup-related events.
Adams clarified that the introduction of TRIBE Culture Fest was not initiated by his ministry. He added that the NSA did not inform the Sports Ministry about any agreement it had reached with the US Embassy concerning visa acquisition. “The NSA’s engagements with the embassy were not necessarily related to the issuance of visas,” he said, distinguishing those talks from the ministry’s own efforts to establish procedures for coordinating travel.
The Sports Ministry has previously said it forwarded a request from the NSA for visa support for 90 people described as volunteers and event coordinators. However, it insisted forwarding the request did not mean selecting applicants or guaranteeing visa approvals.
The incident has triggered calls from the Minority in Parliament for a wider investigation into the roles of the Sports Ministry, NSA, GTA, and TRIBE Culture Fest. The opposition argues that the controversy raises questions that extend beyond a single official’s actions.
The allegations remain under investigation. Authorities are expected to determine how the arrangements were made and whether any laws or procedures were breached. The issue has drawn attention to the coordination of private events with public agencies ahead of one of the largest sporting events in history.
TRIBE Culture Fest’s connection to the NSA and GTA through the US Embassy places the private event organisation in an unusual position in Ghana’s World Cup preparations. The precise nature of the agreements and the extent of government involvement remain unclear.
Kofi Adams’s statements suggest the Sports Ministry’s role was limited to administrative forwarding of requests, while the US Embassy facilitated the introduction of TRIBE Culture Fest to local sports and tourism bodies. The situation has raised broader concerns about transparency and oversight in organising activities linked to the World Cup.
The controversy comes as Ghanaian officials work on plans for the 2026 tournament, which is expected to draw a global audience and significant participation from the Ghanaian diaspora and football communities. The outcome of the investigations will likely influence how public and private entities collaborate on international events in the future.
According to Joy Online.
