National Chief Imam Calls for United Prayer as Black Stars Prepare for World Cup Opener Against Panama

Ghana’s National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has called on all Ghanaians to set aside political, ethnic and religious differences and rally behind the Black Stars as the national team prepares to open its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama on Tuesday in Toronto.

In a statement issued on Sunday through his Executive Secretary, Alhaji Osmanu Seidu, the Chief Imam described the Black Stars’ participation on the world’s biggest football stage as “a powerful symbol of national unity and patriotism, transcending political, ethnic and religious differences.”

“As Ghana embarks on yet another historic journey on the world’s biggest football stage, His Eminence joins millions of Ghanaians both at home and abroad in offering fervent prayers for the success of the national team,” the statement read.

The Chief Imam prayed that “Almighty Allah grants the players, technical team and management divine guidance, strength, wisdom, unity, discipline and resilience throughout the tournament,” while also calling for their safety and protection from injury.

The intervention is more than symbolic. Regional and district imams across the country have been instructed to include special prayers for the Black Stars in their congregational worship, a directive that extends the spiritual mobilisation well beyond Accra’s mosques to communities throughout Ghana.

The call follows a recent visit by officials of the Ghana Football Association to the Chief Imam, a customary gesture before major tournaments that has in past campaigns helped galvanise public support.

Ghana’s opening fixture against Panama kicks off at BMO Field in Toronto, with the Black Stars drawn in a formidable Group L alongside England and Croatia. It is the country’s fifth appearance at the World Cup, and expectations among supporters are running high despite the challenging group-stage opponents.

The tournament has already produced moments of African triumph. Cote d’Ivoire sealed a dramatic victory over Ecuador on Sunday, with Amad Diallo scoring a 90th-minute winner that ended the South Americans’ 19-game unbeaten run. The result has added to the sense that African teams can compete at the highest level, a narrative Ghana will hope to extend in Toronto.

Logistics at the expanded 48-team tournament have drawn scrutiny, with players and coaches questioning FIFA’s approach to managing the North American summer heat. Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has publicly criticised the mandatory cooling breaks, arguing they should be decided on a match-by-match basis rather than imposed uniformly.

For now, though, the focus in Ghana is on unity of purpose. “The Black Stars carry not only the aspirations of football supporters but also the collective hopes, pride and identity of the Ghanaian people,” the Chief Imam’s statement concluded. “His Eminence therefore calls on all Ghanaians to rally behind the team with one voice and one spirit.”

The statement ended with a rallying cry: “Go Black Stars! Go Ghana!”

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE