Henry Asante-Twum, the Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has shed light on the reduction of Ghana’s 2022 World Cup prize from $9 million to $7.9 million.
The decrease, he explained, was a result of an outstanding debt exceeding $800,000 owed to FIFA.
Various expenses contributed to this debt, including officials’ travel and accommodation, as well as the participation of Ghana’s U-17 and U-20 Women’s national teams in FIFA tournaments. Additionally, cautions incurred during the events added to the financial obligation.
Asante Twum confirmed that the GFA reported the adjusted World Cup prize of $7.9 million to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This clarification came in response to a petition by journalists including Ohene Bampoe Brenya of Happy FM seeking an explanation for the monetary adjustment.
In an interviewAsante Twum emphasized that the reduction in prize money was directly linked to the outstanding debt owed to FIFA as reported by Asempa FM.
The GFA was entitled to $9 million for their placement between 17th and 32nd in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. However, this entitlement was subject to the deduction of all outstanding debts on the association’s FIFA account.
In detailing the financial transactions, Asante Twum mentioned that the GFA received a $25,000 credit related to 2018, an amount FIFA owed the GFA since that year. FIFA added this credit to Ghana’s World Cup prize money for participating in 2022.
The outstanding debts, totaling $800,131.23 from 2016 to the 2022 World Cup, were deducted by FIFA. These debts included fees for cautions, flights, accommodation, and other charges. As a result, the net balance after deductions amounted to $7,899,868.77, currently credited to the GFA’s account.
Furthermore, Asante Twum highlighted a $300,000 payment made from the bank to compensate three Black Stars coaches, as per their contract, for successfully qualifying Ghana to the World Cup against Nigeria. In essence, after factoring in all deductions and payments, the adjusted prize money stood at $7,899,868.77.
