US Embassy to launch Sports Envoy programme for female student athletes

• The US Embassy is set to deepen its sports diplomacy with Ghana through a new Sports Envoy programme
• The ambassador highlighted the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a demonstration of football's power to unite people across cultures
• Olson, a Philadelphia native, pointed to a historic 1957 Ghana Independence Day photo at the Liberty Bell as proof of deep bilateral ties

The US Embassy in Accra is set to deepen its sports diplomacy with Ghana through a new Sports Envoy programme that will bring two American professional athletes and coaches to the country to train coaches of female student-athletes.

This programme is scheduled to take place in September 2026.

The Chronicle reported that the event will feature Ghanaian-American athlete and coach Kofi Sarkodie, alongside another professional athlete.

The US Ambassador, Ralf Olson, has described sports diplomacy as one of the most effective tools for building meaningful connections between nations, citing the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a recent example of football's unifying power.

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Speaking on the role of sport in international relations, Olson said athletic competition creates a unique platform for cultural exchange and economic engagement that few other forums can replicate.

"To me, the best part about sports diplomacy is the stories of teamwork, resilience, and national pride," he said.

Olson said the 2026 FIFA World Cup had demonstrated once again how football could bring people from different countries and cultures together.

The tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, has drawn supporters from across the globe to American cities.

As a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the ambassador said he took particular pleasure in watching Ghanaian fans visit the city during the tournament, explore its landmarks and immerse themselves in its culture.

Ghana and the United States: A Historic Connection

Olson pointed to Philadelphia's Liberty Bell as a symbol of the deeper historical ties between Ghana and the US.

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An exhibition at the landmark features a photograph taken on 6 March 1957, the day Ghana declared independence, which the ambassador cited as evidence of a long-standing relationship between the two countries.

The ambassador's remarks underscore the broader significance of major sporting events beyond the competition itself, framing the World Cup as an occasion for strengthening bilateral ties through shared experiences and people-to-people contact.

Man refused visa gets permanent residency

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a Ghanaian man had opened up on how he defied the odds in his quest to travel abroad.

Mr Happiness said he faced a setback in his desire to relocate from Ghana in 2007 when the Netherlands embassy denied his visa.

He now lives in the Netherlands and explained that the same country later granted him an EU permanent residency card a few years later.

Source: YEN.com.gh