Top NPP Figure Petitions US Embassy To Refuse Government Fan Delegation Visas for the World Cup
- A member of the New Patriotic Party has raised eyebrows with his actions surrounding Ghana’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya has written to the US Embassy, appealing that the government's fan delegation should not be issued US visas
- He went on to give reasons substantiating why government-sponsored travel to the 2026 World Cup in the US will not be in Ghana's interests
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A member of the New Patriotic Party and former Director of Corporate Affairs at the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya, has written to the US Embassy regarding Ghana’s participation in the 2026 World Cup.
This comes after he shared a copy of the letter he sent to the US Embassy on his Facebook page on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Source: Facebook
Writing in his personal capacity, Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya first stated that Ghana has a large diaspora presence in the US and does not need to spend money sending supporters from Ghana to cheer on the senior national team.
“There are already large numbers of Ghanaians resident in the United States who are able and willing to support the Black Stars during the tournament. Additional travel from Ghana for this purpose is unnecessary.”
Oppong Brenya, who is currently vying for the position of National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also cited misuse of public funds as another reason for his demand.
NPP member appeals to US over delegation
He explained that the resources being spent on flying government fan delegations to the US are not in the best interest of the nation, especially considering pressing domestic needs that require attention.
"The Government of Ghana is spending significant amounts of taxpayer money to sponsor football fans to the U.S. under the guise of national support. I believe this expenditure is not in the best interest of Ghanaian citizens, given pressing domestic needs.
"I respectfully appeal to the Embassy to apply strict scrutiny to, and where appropriate, refuse non-immigrant visa applications that are part of government-sponsored fan delegations. This would help prevent the misuse of Ghana's public resources and ensure visas are prioritised for essential travel. Our diaspora community in the U.S. can represent Ghana and support our national team without further burdening Ghanaian taxpayers.
"Thank you for considering this perspective as you adjudicate visa applications related to the World Cup."
Source: Twitter
High Commission considering tickets for Ghanaian fans
Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya’s letter to the US Embassy comes at a time when the Ghana High Commission has urged Ghanaians in Canada interested in World Cup tickets to submit their details for consideration.
Below is Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya’s Facebook post regarding his request:
US cautions Ghanaians over visa fraud
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US had issued a strong statement to Ghanaians and other foreign nationals regarding travel to the country.
A statement from the US Department of State warned prospective applicants against using fraudulent documents in the visa application process.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
