The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, has visited Ghana’s Black Princesses at their camp in Poland and challenged them to reach the final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup before bringing the trophy home.
Ghana begin their tournament campaign against Ecuador on 6 September 2026, with Korea Republic and France completing their group-stage schedule.
The visit came as the Black Princesses prepared for their opening match and celebrated a significant milestone: an eighth consecutive qualification for the World Cup. Adams praised the team’s consistency on the international stage and assured the players that the government would continue to support their ambitions.
He also delivered greetings from the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, who is following the team’s progress closely.
“I bring you greetings from the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, who is very aware of the task ahead of you. He is the reason I am here, to assure you that he is keenly following the team.”
Adams described the Black Princesses as a disciplined group and highlighted their record of regular appearances at major international competitions.
“You are a disciplined group, and if there is any of our national teams that has continuously made an appearance on the world stage, it is the Princesses.”
The minister said sporting success had played a major role in promoting Ghana internationally, and called on the players to build on that reputation by going further than previous campaigns.
“No minister or any other person has marketed the country more than sports has. So I believe it is your time now to market Ghana even better by reaching the final and bringing the cup home.”
He added that the team had the backing of the president and the wider Ghanaian public.
“The President wants to express his appreciation, and you should know that 35 million Ghanaians are with you every step of the way.”
Adams also urged the players not to be intimidated by their opponents, telling them to trust the preparation provided by the technical team.
“Don’t be intimidated by any opponent. They don’t play any better football than you. Have at the back of your mind what the technical team has taught you so you can go out there and exhibit that.”
The minister placed particular emphasis on unity, pointing to the team’s slogan, “stronger together”, as a reminder that collective effort would be essential to achieving their objectives.
“It is a team sport and I want you to work collectively to achieve a greater goal. As your slogan says, ‘stronger together’, it only means you will achieve great things when you play as a team and not as individuals.”
Adams concluded by saying he intended to attend Ghana’s opening match and support the team from the stadium.
“I wish you the best of luck and I will be at the stadium to cheer you on to victory.”
