Ghana Eyes Premier League Platform to Drive Tourism with Reported £10m Sunderland Deal
Ghana is set to become the latest African country to use Premier League shirt sponsorship as a tourism marketing tool, with the Visit Ghana brand reported to feature on Sunderland's shirts in a deal estimated at around £10 million. The initiative was announced by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, who described it as a private-sector-led project and confirmed that Parliament is not financing it. The Ghana Football Association, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Ministry of Finance are also involved. The £10 million figure has been cited by former Everton CEO Keith Wyness but has not been officially confirmed by Ghana's government or Sunderland, with reports suggesting the partnership could be unveiled ahead of Sunderland's Premier League fixture against Arsenal on 12 September 2026.
The proposed deal builds on an existing relationship between Sunderland and Ghana, with club owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus having led a delegation to the country in June 2026 to explore opportunities beyond football. Ghana's approach follows a well-established model pioneered by Rwanda, which has built a portfolio of elite sports partnerships since 2018 spanning Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Atlético de Madrid, Aston Villa and two US franchises. For Ghana, Premier League visibility would place the Visit Ghana brand in front of a global audience across broadcasts, digital content and international coverage - a scale of reach difficult to achieve through conventional tourism advertising. The commercial timing is also favourable, with a Premier League ban on gambling shirt sponsors from the 2026/27 season increasing demand for alternative front-of-shirt partners.
Source: Africa Business Insider
