Ghana, Mexico deepen partnership in sports diplomacy, youth development
The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, on Thursday, 3rd July 2025, received Ambassador of Mexico to Ghana, Her Excellency Norma Ang and Deputy Head of Mission, Mr Fernando Alvarado Valenzuela during a courtesy call at the Ministry’s offices in Accra.
The engagement focused on strengthening sports diplomacy between the two countries and exploring areas of collaboration to promote youth development and enhance technical capacity across various disciplines.
In her remarks, Ambassador Ang underscored the vital role that sport has played in shaping the bonds between Mexico and Ghana, and expressed her government’s commitment to expanding partnerships in boxing, basketball, football, and other priority sports.
She shared insights into Mexico’s experience in training FIFA referees, sports management, and leveraging university networks to develop sporting talent.
The delegation further proposed organising a boxing photo exhibition celebrating Mexican champions, alongside a film festival to showcase Mexico’s rich sporting heritage.
Minister Adams, in welcoming the delegation, noted that for many Ghanaians, sport was the first gateway to knowing Mexico, especially through football and boxing. He emphasized that sport remains a universal language capable of fostering understanding and goodwill between nations.
The Minister also acknowledged the presence of key Ghanaian sports leaders, including the Vice President of the Ghana Football Association, the President of the Ghana Boxing Federation, the President of the Ghana Baseball Federation, and the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee.
Commending Mexico’s preparations to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Canada, he expressed optimism that the Black Stars would qualify to represent Ghana proudly on the global stage.
Discussions covered a wide range of collaborative opportunities, including:
* Establishing exchange programmes for coaches, referees, and technical officials to enhance Ghana’s capacity across sports disciplines.
* Promoting grassroots and women’s sports development.
* Exploring the Free Zones concept to attract investment into sports infrastructure and partnerships.
* Facilitating sports tourism and inviting Mexican teams to consider Ghana as a training and preparation destination.
* Examining the potential for special visa arrangements to enable fans to travel smoothly between host countries during the 2026 World Cup.
The Minister assured the delegation that the Ministry will set up a dedicated working group to partner with the Embassy of Mexico in developing a detailed framework to guide the collaboration.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening ties through sport, cultural exchange, and mutual support.
