GHANA’S national deaf male football team, the Black Wonders, have been placed in second position in Group D after the draw for the 2026 Deaf Africa Cup of Nations competition was conducted last week.
Friday’s draw would see Ghana face off with powerhouses including Mali, Kenya and Zanzibar, while Cameroon, Senegal, South Sudan and Somalia battle it out in Group C.
Group A has countries like the host nation, Ethiopia, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau and Liberia, while DR Congo, Egypt, Libya and RCA make the cut in Group B.
The development followed the invitation extended to the Black Wonders by the Deaf African Football Confederation (DAFC), in collaboration with the host, Ethiopian Deaf Football Association (EDFA).
Consequently, the Ghana Deaf Football Association (GDFA) has appealed to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR) for financial support to enable the team to participate in the maiden edition of the championship.
The appeal, made by the National Sports Authority (NSA) on behalf of the GDFA, requested financial assistance from the MoSR to the tune of GH₵1,225,500 and $105,451 to facilitate Ghana’s participation in the qualifiers.
Additionally, the GDFA also requested payment of an outstanding debt of $24,446 accrued from the 2023 Deaf Football World Cup in Malaysia.
The Director of Communication of the GDFA, Mr Ransford Lartey, confirmed to The Ghanaian Times Sports in an interview on Saturday that settlement of the outstanding debt would enable them to participate in the 2027 Deaf Football World Cup in Australia.
Participation in the 2026 African Cup of Nations Deaf Football Championship is expected to enhance Ghana’s continental ranking, improve international competitiveness and strengthen qualification pathways towards the 2027 Deaf Football World Cup.
According to him, the championship will serve as an important platform, enabling Ghana to assess its player development systems against those of leading deaf football nations across Africa.
Additionally, he said the event would provide the technical team with the opportunity to participate in a high-level coaches’ refresher course to be organised alongside the championship.
“This initiative will contribute significantly to the professional development of coaches, technical officials and athletes, while strengthening Ghana’s technical capacity in deaf football,” he added.
The maiden edition of the African Cup of Nations Deaf Football Championship (DAFCON) is scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 13, 2026, in Ethiopia.
The initial tournament was scheduled for April 11–26, 2026, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, but due to sanctions placed on Cameroon and recent FIFA directives following the FIFA World Cup, it became impracticable to proceed with Cameroon as the host country.
Ghana is expected to be represented by a 32-member contingent, comprising 24 players and eight officials.
BY ANDREW NORTEY
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