The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has confirmed that several Ghana national teams are owed outstanding winning and qualification bonuses, but has assured that efforts are underway to clear the arrears.

Mr Adams, who is also the Member of Parliament for Buem Constituency, disclosed in an interview with Sporty FM on Thursday that the affected teams include the U-20 male and female national teams, the U-17 women’s team, the Black Queens, and the senior national team, the Black Stars.

“The truth is that national teams are owed winning bonuses one way or the other. The U-20 boys and girls are owed some bonuses; the U-17 girls and Black Queens are owed qualification bonuses, and the Black Stars are also owed bonuses,” he stated.

The Sports Minister, however, stressed that the Black Stars have the least outstanding payments among the teams mentioned, explaining that the government ensured the senior national team received their qualifying bonuses and appearance fees before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Of all these teams I have mentioned, the Black Stars are the least owed. Indeed, at the World Cup, the Black Stars were paid fully all their qualifying bonuses from 2023, 2024 and 2025. All the games they won and the outstanding qualifiers were paid before we started the World Cup,” he said.

Mr Adams added that the players also received their appearance fees in full, with the only outstanding payment being the qualification bonus for progressing from the World Cup group stage to the Round of 32.

“We also paid their appearance fee fully, and so every player was paid; no player is currently owed in terms of appearance fees,” he noted.

According to the Minister, delays in settling some outstanding bonuses have partly been linked to deductions required under the new Sports Act, which mandates that a percentage of financial benefits paid to athletes and officials be allocated to a sports development fund.

“What is outstanding is the qualification bonus from the group stage to the Round of 32, and that is yet to be paid. This is also because some deductions have to be made in line with the new Sports Act for every bonus that is paid and every financial benefit for officials or athletes participating in competitions. A percentage will be deducted at source into the sports fund for the development of sports,” he explained.

“We are working to ensure the Finance Ministry releases outstanding monies for the Black Queens, the U-20 boys and girls, and the U-17 girls so they can also be paid what is due them,” he added.

The Black Queens are currently preparing in Morocco for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), while the Black Princesses have secured qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Ghana’s other youth national teams, including the Black Starlets and Black Satellites, have also participated in their respective international competitions.

The revelation comes amid growing concerns from stakeholders over delays in bonus payments to national teams, with calls for a more transparent and efficient system to ensure athletes are rewarded promptly for their achievements.