More than 150 Ghanaian football enthusiasts and stakeholders left Accra Saturday for La Cote d’Ivoire to support the senior national football team the Black Stars during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The 10-day trip by the fans is an all-expenses-paid sponsorship by telecommunication giants MTN which has been a leading supporter of football development in Ghana and a key sponsor of the national teams.
A release by the telecom giants said the number for the Cote d’Ivoire trip is the largest MTN had ever sent to any tournament.
The lucky fans participating in the trip expressed great joy as they, in the company of staff of MTN boarded the Emirates flight straight to Abidjan for the 10-day trip to cheer the national team.
To most of the fans, the gesture was a dream come true to have the opportunity for the first time to be at the AFCON and cheer the gallant Black Stars on in all their three group matches.
“I am excited to be joining the supporters to cheer the Black Stars to victory. This is my first time going to the AFCON and looking forward to a wonderful experience,” Denzel Adjei, a fan from Kumasi, said.
Eben Odame from Accra who was lucky to be part of the MTN-sponsored trip for the second time after the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, said, he was delighted to be going for the African Cup.
“This is my first time going to AFCON and I am would like to try the popular Ivorian food, like Acheke,” he stated.
He added that, he would be catching up with old school mates which would be additional fun.
“I hope the Black Stars go pass the group stages and make us proud. They have the quality to win the Afcon. Enough of the disappointment, they should bring back the love,” he stressed.
For Kojo Shaddy, a student in Accra, the reactions at the stadium would make his trip after watching same on television for a long time.
I have never been to a stadium before. So ,this is a grand opportunity provided by MTN for me to travel. It’s amazing,” he stated.
Abigail Amankwah, also a first timer at the tournament thanked MTN for the opportunity, adding that she would relax and have a lot of fun hoping Ghana would bring the trophy home.
Also, Aisha Osman who would be at the tournament for the second time said, she could not wait to get to Ivory Coast to cheer the Black Stars on to victory.
“I hope they qualify to the next stage so we can continue to support them. Thanks to MTN,” she added.
The Black Stars would be hoping to exorcise the “ghost” of Bouake (Cote d’Ivoire) where, as defending champions, they crashed out at the group stages during the 1984 tournament.