Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for the 2028 elections, has urged Ghana’s Black Stars to showcase their football prowess at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

He called on the team to give their best and to rewrite their impressive history at the global tournament.

Ghana’s best World Cup performance came in 2010 in South Africa, when the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals before losing to Uruguay on penalties.

In their first appearance, in 2006 in Germany, they reached the round of 16, where they were eliminated by Brazil.

However, their campaigns in 2014 and 2022 were disappointing, as they failed to advance past the group stage.

In their fifth World Cup appearance in 2026, held in Mexico, the USA and Canada, the Stars begin their campaign against Panama on Wednesday, June 17.

In a goodwill message to the Black Stars ahead of their opening match, Dr Bawumia reiterated his call for the team to deliver an impressive performance.

“As the Black Stars start their journey at the 2026 World Cup, I want to wish them the very best, you have done it before, and you can do it again,” he said in a video clip shared on his social media.

He also expressed the nation’s support for the team and highlighted the unifying power of football.

“The nation is behind you, I’m behind you, go for gold, go Black Stars. Football has always been part of us as a nation. It has always united us, and it brings the World together,” Dr Bawumia added.

Ghana are in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia.