Sports
Medeama plot to tame Heart of Lions
The Tarkwa and Aboso enclave of the Western Region will come alive tomorrow as league leaders, Medeama SC, welcome Kpando Heart of Lions to the TnA Stadium for their final home game of the Ghana Premier League.
This penultimate fixture of the season could see Medeama clinch the league title, provided they secure a victory and second-place Bibiani Gold Stars lose their match.
To celebrate the occasion, Medeama SC management has engaged the Ghanaian musical duo, DopeNation, famed for their current global hit ‘Kakalika,’ to entertain fans.
Medeama posted a 1-0 victory over the visitors in their first-round fixture. If that result is anything to go by, then crowning the Tarkwa lads as champions may not be far-fetched.
At the Tuba Astro Turf, defending champions, Gold Stars, must pick up all three points against Dreams FC if they aim to keep the challenge on Medeama.
Tenth-placed Bechem United FC will look to push further up the ladder by taking all three points when they host record league winners, Asante Kotoko, at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park.
Bechem United is not mathematically safe from the drop, as a defeat could push them back into the relegation mix.
Meanwhile, Hearts of Oak SC will travel to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi to face the might of Samartex FC.
After a 3-0 home victory over Karela United last week, Vision FC will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to face Nations FC in a high-stakes battle to avoid relegation.
In other matches, the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium will come alive as Karela United hosts Swedru All Blacks FC. The latter needs at least a point, to bolster their survival bid.
Aduana FC will welcome Wenchi-based Young Apostles FC to the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park in Dormaa in a fixture expected to be full of fireworks.
Finally, the already-relegated Eleven Wonders remain at the Swedru Stadium to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Midfielder Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto after Canadian authorities refused him entry.
A FIFA statement to The Athletic confirmed the Arsenal star cannot travel from Ghana’s base camp in Boston, USA, for Wednesday’s, June 17, opener against Panama.
“FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” the statement read.
FIFA stressed it has no role in immigration decisions: “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”
Canadian immigration rules state that “if you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into Canada.” Partey has been charged with offenses in the UK but is awaiting trial and has not been convicted.
The Black Stars will now have to do without their midfield anchor for the crucial Group E opener against Panama.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana have arrived in Providence, Rhode Island, for the final phase of preparations ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. The team departed Virginia on Thursday afternoon and touched down at T.F. Green International Airport in Rhode Island at about 6:00 p.m.
Head Coach Carlos Queiroz and his squad will resume training on Friday as they fine-tune preparations for their opening Group L game against Panama.
The Black Stars wrapped up a week-long training camp in Washington following their international friendly against Wales in Cardiff.
The camp in Virginia included intensive sessions at the American University and D.C. United training ground and a farewell dinner with the Ghanaian community in Alexandria.
Ghana now enters the final stretch of preparation in Providence before heading to Toronto for the June 17 opener against Panama at Toronto Stadium.
The Black Stars will also face England in Boston on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27 to complete Group L.
Queiroz’s 26-man squad features captain Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey, Iñaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, and goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi, who is set for his second successive World Cup.
The team is expected to hold training sessions and series of Community engagement programs in Rhode Island in the coming days.
