Ghanaian Fans Named World’s Most Family-Friendly Supporters at 2026 World Cup
Ghanaian fans have been named the world’s most family-friendly supporters ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a new international fan reputation study.
The World Cup Reputation Index, commissioned by British entrepreneur and lifelong football fan Sam Allcock, surveyed 5,200 U.S. adults across the 16 FIFA 2026 host cities to explore how visiting supporters shape perceptions of their countries on the world stage.
The research, carried out by Cherry Data Signals, ranked Ghanaian fans first globally for family-friendly support among 45 non-host supporter cultures. Ghanaian supporters were especially recognised for bringing colour, music, dancing and one of the most joyful supporter cultures in African football.
According to the findings, Ghana topped the ranking for most family-friendly supporters, ahead of Austria, Switzerland, South Korea and New Zealand. The report describes Ghanaian fans as being best known for “colour, music, dancing, and one of the most joyful supporter cultures in African soccer.”
The survey, conducted after the first round of matches, suggests visiting supporters are not only representing their team, but also influence how host communities perceive their country.
Overall, 73% of Americans surveyed said the behaviour of visiting fans affects how they view a country. A further 75% agreed that well-behaved visiting fans can improve a country’s reputation abroad, while 68% said a positive experience with a country’s fans would make them more interested in visiting that country.
The findings suggest that fan culture is now part of a country’s soft power. Supporters are not simply spectators; they are informal ambassadors whose behaviour, colour, music, humour and interactions with locals can leave a lasting impression.
For Ghana, the findings point to a particularly positive international reputation. While some nations are most strongly associated with noise, intensity or sporting passion, Ghanaian supporters appear to stand out for creating a welcoming, family-friendly and celebratory atmosphere.
Brazil topped the overall ranking, with supporters admired for joy, colour, music and atmosphere. Japan placed second, recognised for cleanliness, respectfulness and the widely admired habit of tidying stadium sections after matches. England completed the top three thanks largely to its singing, chanting and travelling support culture.
Argentina ranked fourth overall and was named the most passionate fanbase, while the Netherlands placed fifth and was recognised for colour and class. Australia, Spain, South Korea, Germany and Scotland completed the overall top ten.
Sam Allcock said:
“Every World Cup fanbase has its own personality and its own reputation. Some supporters are admired for the way they clean up after themselves. Some are loved for their songs, colour and noise. Others are known for friendliness, humour, loyalty, family pride, food culture, or the simple ability to turn a city square into a party.
“Ghanaian fans have one of the most joyful and recognisable supporter cultures in world football, and this research shows how positively that is being received by American host-city residents. Being seen as family-friendly is a powerful reputation to have at a global tournament, because it speaks not only to passion, but to warmth, welcome and respect.”
The report also explored what Americans most want from visiting supporters during the tournament. Friendliness toward locals was ranked as the most important quality, chosen by 24% of respondents, followed by avoiding aggressive or intimidating behaviour at 19%, respect for public spaces at 15%, and good sportsmanship at 11%.
When asked what makes a good fan ambassador, Americans again prioritised positive behaviour. The top answers were being friendly to locals, being passionate but respectful, celebrating without causing problems, showing respect after wins and losses, and having a good sense of humour.
For Ghana, the message is clear: joyful support travels well. The supporters who make the strongest impression in 2026 may be those who combine passion for their team with colour, music, family pride and respect for the cities hosting them.
Methodology:
The findings are based on a quantitative survey of 5,200 U.S. adults by Cherry Data Signals across the 16 FIFA 2026 host cities. The sample was weighted to U.S. adult benchmarks for host-city MSAs. Host nations were excluded to avoid self-assessment bias. The margin of error is ±1.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.