Ghana’s sports ministry has discussed with the Commonwealth Games Federation the idea of hosting the 2026 Games.
As per sports minister Mustapha Ussif, the initial talks were promising, as he mentioned in an interview with GHOne TV.
‘’The President of the Commonwealth Games paid a visit to Ghana, assessed our facilities, and met with me. I even participated in some of their meetings,” Ussif shared.
‘’They are looking for an African nation for their programs. They expressed the view that it's time for Africa to host the Commonwealth Games, and Ghana is well-equipped now.”
The 2026 Games is currently without a host city after Malaysia turned down the CGF’s offer, which included £100m in supporting funds.
Malaysia officially stated that its decision was due to time constraints, costs, and an insufficient funding offer.
The CGF had approached Malaysia following the withdrawal of the Australian state of Victoria, citing escalating costs.
While Malaysia and the Australian City of Victoria find the Games too costly, Ussif believes it will not be excessively expensive.
He mentioned, “Hosting the Commonwealth Games will not be as expensive as organizing the African Games if we choose to do so as a country.
‘’The advantage of the Commonwealth Games is that they will also provide funding from the Commonwealth Games Secretariat, unlike the African Games.’’
