The 2027 Budget allocates GH¢600 million towards building 10 regional stadia. That is three times the GH¢200 million the 2026 Budget allocated for six mini stadia. The 2026 Budget planned to finish three stadia this year, but on Thursday 12 November the Sports Minister said contracts were still to be awarded.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson announced the money in Parliament on 12 November. The GH¢600 million sits inside a GH¢782 million allocation to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (Speech paras 611-613). Appendix 4A of the Budget Statement books it all as capital spending under "Construction of 10 Regional Stadia".
That is 76.7% of the ministry's government-funded allocation of GH¢781.8 million. These are planned allocations, not money released or spent.
The plan is seven 5,000-seat stadia in Western North, North East, Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West, Bono East and Oti, two 10,000-seat stadia in Savannah and Bono, and a 12,000-seat stadium in Volta. That is 67,000 seats in all.
The Budget says construction will "begin" in 2027. It gives no total cost for the 10 projects.
Allocations, not spending. Sports Minister said on 12 Nov contracts not yet awarded. Source: Ministry of Finance, 2026 Budget Appendix 4A [Social Sector – GOG] and Appendix 4B 2027 [Social Sector Summary – All Funding Sources]; 2027 Budget Appendix 4A [Social Sector – GOG], printed p.193.
What the 2026 Budget promised
A year ago the 2026 Budget said construction would begin "in 3 out the 8 regions without sport stadium" (para 1105). It added: "the plan is to complete the construction of three stadia in 2026, with the remaining five completed by 2028" (para 1107).
Its appendix gave GH¢200 million to a line called "Six (6) Mini Stadia", and pencilled in GH¢266 million for 2027. The new GH¢600 million is 2.26 times that projection.
We searched the 2027 Budget Statement and the Mid-Year Review speech of 23 July for any report of work starting on those stadia and found none. The only stadium works the 2027 Statement reports are repairs at Essipong in Sekondi-Takoradi (para 1374).
Sports Minister Kofi Adams explained the change on budget day. "In the manifesto we promised six. When we came in and reviewed the situation, we promised to start three this year," he told TV3, according to 3News.
He said the ministry had then realised it would be "starting three this year and waiting to start another three". "So it is better to procure the 10 at a go."
He said designs and bills of quantities were done and "hopefully, by the end of this month, the contracts will be awarded and contractors will mobilise to move to site before the end of December." He had first announced the move from six to 10 at the GFA Congress on 20 August, Adomonline reported, saying the Finance Minister had issued "commencement authorisation".
What people on X are saying
A @tv3_ghana clip of Mr Adams had about 6,000 impressions. Posts by @beyondB_DAG (about 2,200 impressions) and @sputnik_africa said Ghana had set aside "$51 Million" to build the 10 stadiums.
That conversion holds: GH¢600 million is about US$51.3 million at the Bank of Ghana's 13 November mid-rate of GH¢11.69. But the Budget presents the sum as money "towards the construction", a first-year allocation, not a total cost.
What it means
On the minister's account, the stadium line has tripled before any of the first three projects has gone to contract. On his own timetable, with contractors moving to site before the end of December, the 2026 Budget's target of three finished stadia this year will be missed.
We found no published figure for how much of the 2026 GH¢200 million was released. The Finance and Sports ministries were not asked for comment for this piece.
Limitations
Appendix figures are allocations. Mr Adams described capacities of "5,000, 7,000 and 10,000" seats (3News), which differ from the Budget's 5,000, 10,000 and 12,000.
Related: our pieces on the GH¢69m national airline groundwork and on 2027 capital spending.
Sources: Ministry of Finance, 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, 12 Nov 2026, paras 1374, 1378, 1574-1576 and Appendix 4A 2027 [Social Sector – GOG] (printed p.193); 2027 Budget Speech paras 611-613. Ministry of Finance, 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, paras 581, 1105-1108, 1179, Appendix 4A 2026 [Social Sector – GOG], Appendix 4B 2027 / 4C 2028 / 4D 2029 [Social Sector Summary – All Funding Sources]; 2026 Budget Speech paras 429, 497. Ministry of Finance, 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review Speech, 23 Jul 2026. 3News, "Kofi Adams confirms sites for 10 new stadia, targets December construction start", 12 Nov 2026. Adomonline, "John Mahama expands stadium plan from six to 10 – Sports Minister", 20 Aug 2026. Ghana News Agency, "Government allocates GH¢600 million for construction of 10 regional stadia", 13 Nov 2026. MyJoyOnline, "2027 Budget: GH¢600m earmarked for 10 regional stadia", Nov 2026. Bank of Ghana, Daily Interbank FX Rates, 13 Nov 2026 (USD mid 11.6900).
X posts: @tv3_ghana; @3SportsGh; @beyondB_DAG; @sputnik_africa. StatsGH, national airline GH¢69m; StatsGH, 2027 capex.