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Tag: Panama

  • Photos: Black Stars arrive in Toronto ahead of opener against Panama

    Photos: Black Stars arrive in Toronto ahead of opener against Panama

    The Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Department has announced the arrival of the Black Stars in Canada.

    The local football governing body announced this through a press release and social media updates on Monday, June 15.

    The squad, after concluding their training camp in Rhode Island, immediately settled into their base in the city to prepare for the June 17 clash against Panama at BMO Field.

    They had been based in the United States since their international friendly against Wales in Cardiff earlier this month.

    Meanwhile, over 50,000 Ghanaians in Canada have submitted requests for tickets for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which began yesterday.

    Disclosed by the Ghana High Commission in Canada in a public notice dated June 11, it indicated that his outfit is currently compiling the names to send to Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation in the order they were submitted for the necessary action, adding that it had not received any World Cup tickets from the Ministry yet.

    “Following the public notice issued on 8th June 2026, the High Commission so far has received more than 50,000 names, with emails which are being compiled and forwarded in order of the time of receipt, to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, Ghana, for their necessary action,” the notice stated.

    It added that, “The Ghanaian public in Canada should take note that the High Commission has not received any World Cup Tickets. If the Mission receives any tickets from the Ministry, and modalities for distribution, the community will be informed”.

    The High Commission also expressed appreciation to Ghanaians in Canada for their overwhelming support for the Black Stars ahead of the global football tournament.

    “We thank you for your great support for the Black Stars!With renewed assurances.” the notice added.

    The statement was signed by Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, H.E. Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh.

  • Black Stars arrive in US ahead of World Cup

    Black Stars arrive in US ahead of World Cup

    The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed that the Black Stars have arrived in the USA ahead of the 2026 World Cup. 

    Their first fixture is in about 12 days, against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada. 

    Kick‑off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. local time (Toronto), which corresponds to 10:00 p.m. GMT in Ghana.

    The Black Stars left Wales on Wednesday after their pre-World Cup friendly in Cardiff and are set to camp at Bryant University in Providence, Rhode Island.

    The team received a rousing welcome from fans, with players taking pictures and signing autographs upon arrival.

    The draw against Wales on Tuesday night was Ghana’s first positive result since October 2025, ending a run of four consecutive defeats during the November and March international windows.

    The Black Stars are expected to face Jamaica on June 10 in their final warm-up match before opening their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17.

    Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama as they chase a first World Cup knockout-stage qualification since the 2010 tournament.

    Black Stars supporters
    Black Stars supporters

    Each Black Stars player is to be paid a $100,000 appearance fee

    Ghana’s Sports Minister has confirmed that the Black Stars will receive a $100,000 appearance fee for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    He disclosed this during a live TV3 Hot Issues interview on Sunday, May 31. According to him, there were suggestions of a possible increase linked to the cedi’s appreciation against the dollar.

    “The appearance fee for the Black Stars players has been pegged at $100,000 per player. Some said that because the cedi had become stronger, we should increase it, but we said no. Because if the cedi had become weaker, would you have said that we should reduce the dollar (equivalent) so it gives you the same cedi amount? You would not say so.”

    The practice of paying appearance fees is as old as Ghana’s participation in the World Cup, with Ghana pegging the appearance fee at $100,000, in the last sixteen years

    Since 2010, however, the appearance fees have been pegged at $100,000, and per the Minister’s comments, the current group will also benefit.

    On players currently camping for the June 2 fixture against Wales as a preparatory game ahead of the tournament,he indicated that 28 players are currently in Ghana’s pre-tournament camp in Wales, with 26 slots up for grabs.

    Two of the 28 players will be dropped before Ghana confirms the final 26-man squad on Monday, June 1, 2026.

    On Saturday, Thomas Partey and Inaki Williams joined their teammates as the Black Stars prepared for their first pre-World Cup friendly against Wales.

    Final list for World Cup

    Ghana’s head coach has released the final squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) published the squad list on its official website and social media platforms.

    Goalkeepers Paul Reverson and Solomon Agbasi have been omitted from the initial 28-man provisional squad, while vice-captain Alexander Djiku misses out through injury and is replaced by Derrick Luckassen.

    Here is the full squad:

    Goalkeepers

    Benjamin AsareLawrence Ati-ZigiJoseph Anang

    Defenders

    Baba Abdul RahmanGideon MensahMarvin SenayaAlidu SeiduAbdul MuminJerome OpokuJonas AdjeteyKojo Oppong Nkrumah PreprahDerrick Luckassen

    Midfielders

    Thomas ParteyElisha OwusuKwasi SiboAugustine BoakyeCaleb YirenkyiAbdul Fatawu Issahaku, Kamaldeen Sulemana

    Forwards

    Jordan AyewAntoine SemenyoInaki WilliamsErnest NuamahChristopher Bonsu Baah, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Prince Kwabena Adu

  • Will Smith steals show at CONCACAF Nations League final before Mexico’s victory over Panama

    Will Smith steals show at CONCACAF Nations League final before Mexico’s victory over Panama

    Hollywood star Will Smith put on an electrifying show before the CONCACAF Nations League final.

    The famous actor and musician took the stage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, just before the big match between Mexico and Panama.

    Best known for his role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith entertained the crowd of over 68,000 with an energetic performance, featuring some of his most popular songs.

    Mexico won the CONCACAF Nations League final with a 2-1 victory over Panama in an exciting match. Raúl Jiménez was the hero, scoring both goals for Mexico, including a dramatic penalty in stoppage time, to secure their first-ever Nations League trophy.

    The win was a big moment for coach Javier Aguirre, marking a successful return for him while also ending the United States’ three-year dominance as champions.

    In the third-place match, Canada defeated Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT team 2-1. Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi found the net for Canada, overturning an early goal from Patrick Agyemang.

    Following their first Nations League win, Mexico will be preparing for the Gold Cup 2025, which will take place from June 14 to July 6.

  • Miss Universe: Panama contestant dismissed from contest after illegal visit to boyfriend’s hotel room

    Miss Universe: Panama contestant dismissed from contest after illegal visit to boyfriend’s hotel room

    Italy Mora, Panama’s representative in the Miss Universe pageant, has been disqualified just days before the competition’s grand finale following a personal controversy.

    While officials have not provided specific reasons for her dismissal, rumors circulating suggest it involved an unauthorized visit to her boyfriend Juan Abadia’s hotel room in Mexico, according to the New York Post. Allegedly, Ms. Mora met Abadia in his separate hotel room without prior approval from event organizers.

    Mora, however, disputes these claims, stating that her removal stemmed from a heated disagreement with Cesar Anel Rodriguez, the director of Miss Universe Panama, over what she described as poor event planning.

    She claims her boyfriend was present during the argument, which intensified after Abadia revealed he had covered her expenses, including a $7,000 Carolina Herrera dress, due to what they described as the organization’s lack of support.

    “Cesar said he didn’t have the money to cover the hotel or makeup costs,” Ms Mora revealed.

    The final straw came when pageant staff discovered Ms Mora with Mr AbadĂ­a, sparking allegations of an unauthorised visit to his hotel room.

    Despite her efforts to plead her case with pageant officials, the decision was final. Ms Mora confirmed her departure, expressing disappointment and noting that she complied with directions without foreseeing the consequences. 

    “There’s a lot of speculation that needs to be cleared up because it’s impacting my reputation, and emotionally, it’s been difficult. If I weren’t with my boyfriend, I’d be struggling even more,” said Ms Mora.

    The Miss Universe organization has declined to overturn their ruling, and Panama won’t have a replacement contestant. The pageant management team said she had been subjected to an “exhaustive evaluation by our disciplinary commission” over the purported “personal error.”

    Miss Universe representatives also addressed her dismissal in a statement. “It is important to note that we made this decision with the utmost respect for all parties involved. Our number one priority remains the welfare and transparency for all of our candidates, who exemplify diversity, talent and dedication,” they wrote.

    The 19-year-old beauty queen had been prepared to compete alongside 130 international delegates at the Miss Universe competition in Mexico City on November 16. Following her disqualification, the Miss Panama Organization released a statement confirming that they had arranged for her return to Panama.

  • Panama Papers scandal: Court acquits all 28 individuals on money laundering charges

    Panama Papers scandal: Court acquits all 28 individuals on money laundering charges

    A Panamanian court has acquitted all 28 individuals charged with money laundering in relation to the Panama Papers scandal, concluding a trial that began in April.

    The leaked financial documents from 2016 exposed how some of the world’s wealthiest and most influential individuals use tax havens to conceal their wealth.

    Among those acquitted were Jurgen Mossack and the late Ramon Fonseca, founders of Mossack Fonseca, the now-defunct law firm at the center of the scandal.

    Judge Baloisa Marquinez stated that the evidence presented was “not sufficient” to establish the criminal responsibility of the defendants.

    During the trial, the prosecution sought a maximum sentence of 12 years for money laundering for both Mr. Mossack and Mr. Fonseca, who passed away in May.

    Mr. Mossack and Mr. Fonseca maintained that neither they nor their firm had engaged in illegal activities.

    The trial in Panama City lasted 85 hours, included testimony from 27 witnesses, and reviewed over 50 pieces of documentary evidence, as reported by local news outlets.

    After extended deliberation, the judge ruled that the evidence from Mossack Fonseca’s servers had not been collected in accordance with due process, leading to the dismissal of all charges against the defendants.

    The Panama Papers, the largest data leak in history, involved the release of 11 million documents to the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which were then shared with an international team of journalists.

    In 2017, Mossack Fonseca claimed the firm had been hacked and that the leaked information was being misrepresented.

    High-profile figures such as former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Argentinian football star Lionel Messi were scrutinized following the leak.

    Overall, the documents linked 12 current or former heads of state and government, including dictators accused of embezzling funds from their own countries.

  • Gunmen kill football player for Panama national team in ColĂłn city

    Gunmen kill football player for Panama national team in ColĂłn city

    A football player from Panama‘s national team was killed by a gunshot in ColĂłn city.

    Gunmen shot at a group of people, including a 26-year-old named Gilberto Hernández, who were gathered in a building in the city.

    Hernández passed away and seven other people got hurt in the attack.

    We don’t know yet if the footballer, who also played for Club AtlĂ©tico Independiente, was the intended person of the shooting or why it happened.

    In the past few months, there have been more murders in ColĂłn. This is because two gangs are fighting each other to control profitable drug smuggling routes.

    Up until now, over 50 people have been killed in ColĂłn, a city with 40,000 people, since the beginning of this year.

    The port city, located at the northern entrance of the Panama Canal, is a place where cocaine is transported from South America through Panama to Europe.

    The shooting occurred on Sunday afternoon at the local time.

    Two gunmen made a taxi driver drive them to a building in a part of the city called Barrio Norte. Then they started shooting at the people who were all together in that place.

    The people with guns ran away from the place where it happened.

    Gilberto Hernández played his first game for Panama’s national team in March this year, in a match against Guatemala.

    The father of the player asked the young people in ColĂłn to stop being violent. He also requested that the government start projects to help the young people avoid violence.

    He also told the murderers to give themselves up and not commit any more harm.

    Panama’s football association and Gilberto Hernández’s club sent their sympathies to his family.