Samson Deen Urges Greater Support for Ghana’s Black Challenge Ahead of 2026 Amputee World Cup

ACCRA, Ghana — The president of the Africa Paralympic Committee, Samson Deen, has called on the media, corporate organisations and the Ghanaian public to give greater attention to the national amputee football team, the Black Challenge, as the side prepares for the 2026 WAFF Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.

Deen, who also leads Ghana’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC), said the team’s record of success in African competitions and the quality of its players warranted stronger public recognition and investment ahead of the global tournament.

The Black Challenge have won three major continental titles in 2021, 2023 and 2024, establishing themselves among Africa’s leading amputee football teams.

“The core members of the team are still here and continue to play active football in Turkey, where they pursue their professional careers,” Deen said.

He stressed that maintaining the team’s discipline, motivation and preparation would be essential to translating its continental success into a strong performance on the world stage.

Black Challenge face tough Group D test

Ghana have been drawn in Group D alongside Angola, Colombia and Iraq for the tournament, scheduled to take place from November 13 to 22, 2026, in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico.

The competition will feature 24 national teams from across the world.

 

Angola will provide a significant test, having won the World Cup in 2018 and finished runners-up in 2022. Colombia and Iraq will also present challenges as Ghana seek to progress beyond the group stage.

The Black Challenge’s group-stage fixtures are scheduled as follows:

• November 14: Angola vs Ghana
• November 15: Colombia vs Ghana
• November 16: Ghana vs Iraq

Kick-off times have not been confirmed in the published schedule.

Ghana secured qualification for the tournament after winning the 2024 African Amputee Football Championship in Cairo, where they defeated Morocco 2–1 in the final.

That victory followed their triumph at the inaugural African Para Games in Accra in 2023 and their African championship success in 2021.

A call for greater visibility

Deen argued that amputee footballers deserved media attention comparable to that received by other national teams, including the Black Stars.

He said many Ghanaians remained unaware of the talent within the Black Challenge because the team had not received sufficient public exposure.

“As experienced advocates for sports in this country, I believe they deserve even greater attention than what you have been giving to others,” he told the media.

He urged journalists to use their platforms to showcase the players’ abilities and achievements, arguing that greater visibility could attract sponsors and encourage wider public participation in supporting the team.

Deen said the players had demonstrated their quality through their performances and deserved the same commitment to preparation and national representation as other elite athletes.

“If I have the best team, why shouldn’t my team and I give them the best preparation and everything they deserve? What we are doing is not even enough,” he said.

$500,000 sponsorship boost

The NPC president also highlighted a major sponsorship commitment from Gold Fields Ghana Limited, which he said had agreed to support amputee football for two years with a package worth $500,000.

According to Deen, the commitment represents an unprecedented level of corporate backing for disability sport in Ghana.

He described the support as an important step towards strengthening the sport and improving the opportunities available to players.

However, he cautioned that neither the government nor the National Paralympic Committee could shoulder the responsibility alone.

“The government alone cannot do it, and neither can the National Paralympic Committee,” he said, calling for more companies and individuals to contribute.

He expressed hope that increased media coverage would encourage other corporate organisations to follow Gold Fields Ghana Limited’s example.

From continental success to global ambition

The Black Challenge now face the task of converting their impressive African record into success against some of the world’s strongest amputee football nations.

Their participation in Mexico will also offer Ghana an opportunity to raise the profile of disability sport and demonstrate the competitiveness of its athletes on the international stage.

For Deen, the objective extends beyond results. He wants the players to receive the recognition, resources and preparation necessary to compete at the highest level.

With the World Cup approaching, the call is clear: greater visibility, sustained investment and national support will be crucial as the Black Challenge pursue their ambitions in Mexico.