Ghana have been excluded from today’s voting to elect a host for the 2026 World Cup after failing to send a representative to the ongoing 68th FIFA Congress in Russia.
The bid is being contested by the United bid of USA, Mexico and Canada, jointly and Morocco with the voting set to take place at around 9:30 am this morning.
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There were reports that Ashanti Regional FA boss Osei Tutu Agyemang was representing Ghana at the Congress but FIFA has confirmed that Ghana will not participate in the voting process.
Two Executive Committee members of the GFA, namely General Secretary Isaac Addo and Wilfred Osei Kweku were prevented by Government from also attending the congress.
This has come about as a result of Government’s decision to take steps to dissolve the Ghana Football Association after mass corruption was uncovered following the airing of a documentary into football in Ghana by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
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FIFA has also slapped Kwesi Nyantakyi with a 90 day ban as a result of a petition presented to it by Anas.
Kwesi Nyantakyi has since resigned from the FIFA Council as well as his position as First Vice President of CAF.
How the voting process works
Voting on World Cup bids was the sole responsibility of FIFA’s 24-member executive committee in the past but following a spate of scandals that rocked the 2018 Russia bid as well as the 2022 Qatar bids reforms employed have changed the format.
This time around, every FIFA member in good standing will get to vote, with the exception of the four bidding nations. The four US territories with their own soccer federations (Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands) could also be barred from voting, though that has yet to be decided.
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Kosovo, on the other hand, will also not partake following the sudden death of its football federation’s president Fadil Vokkri.
Morocco will now lose out on Ghana’s vote as most federations affiliated to CAF are expected to vote in favour of bringing the tournament to Africa.
A simple majority of total votes cast is needed to secure victory.