The Ministry of Sports and Recreation says there are no outstanding per diems owed Ghana’s female senior team, the Black Queens for their participation in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) taking place in Morocco.
It said as of August 12, 2026, all outstanding per diems had been paid, though has admitted that the qualification bonus from the group stage of the WAFCON was outstanding and being processed.
Reacting to a statement issued by the Queens on Wednesday in which they raised concerns over unpaid bonuses and welfare issues, the ministry said while it respects the players’ right to raise concerns about their welfare and entitlements, it also owed it a public duty to clarify some of the issues raised.
In a statement reacting to the Queens, the ministry said players and eligible officials received their per diems in advance on July 29, covering the period from July 26 to August 7.
Subsequently, after progressing to the quarter-finals and the Women’s World Cup (WWC) play-off, another per diem payment was made on August 11 to cover the additional period from August 8 to 14, proving that with an attachment of signed forms for the per diem.
“Accordingly, as of 12 August 2026, the government has no outstanding per diem obligation to the Black Queens,” the ministry stated.
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Bonuses
Addressing issues about bonuses, the ministry explained that the Black Queens recorded one victory during the WAFCON group stage, against Cape Verde, and therefore earned one winning bonus.
However, it said unlike per diems, winning bonuses are paid directly into the bank accounts of players and eligible officials after the required documentation, statutory deductions and other financial procedures have been completed, stating that the winning bonus earned from the Cape Verde victory was currently being processed in line with established procedures.
The Ministry further challenged the Queens’ claims concerning an outstanding qualification bonus from Ghana’s WAFCON qualifying matches against Egypt.
The statement clarified that Ghana’s current sports financing framework did not provide a separate qualification bonus for securing WAFCON qualification through the home-and-away qualifying round, stressing that there was no government approval for winning bonuses for the qualifying matches against Egypt and that this position had been communicated to the Ghana Football Association.
It therefore argued that such a payment cannot be classified as an outstanding government obligation because it was neither approved nor established as an entitlement.
Welfare
Addressing the concerns raised by the players over mental health and welfare, the Ministry said the team currently have a comprehensive support structure comprising a team manager, team administrator, two physiotherapists, a medical doctor, a nurse, a dietician, a chef, two management team members and additional technical officials, a support structure that provides medical, nutritional, administrative and general welfare assistance throughout the tournament.
It said an accountant from the ministry has been with the team during their campaign in Morocco as is often the case, to ensure that all additional welfare needs brought to the attention of team management were addressed promptly.
Support
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to the Black Queens and the broader development of women’s football in Ghana, stating that the government would continue to provide support within the approved framework to enable Ghana’s female national teams to compete effectively.
The Ministry urged all concerns about financial entitlements and player welfare to be addressed through the appropriate institutional channels, while encouraging the public to support the team in its bid to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.
