2026 World Cup: Ghana fans left stranded outside stadium as Black Stars fall to Croatia

Hundreds of Ghanaian supporters, many of whom travelled more than 5,000 miles from Accra to support the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, were left stranded outside Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field ahead of Ghana's Group L clash against Croatia on Saturday, The Athletic has revealed.

The disappointed fans gathered outside the stadium gates expecting to gain entry for the crucial encounter, only to discover that no tickets had been made available to them.

Confusion surrounded the situation, with no clear explanation as to who was responsible for distributing tickets to the large contingent of supporters.

Some fans believed a representative from a supporters' association was expected to arrive with the tickets, but that never happened.

One supporter told The Athletic that she suspected tickets originally promised to the group may have been sold on the resale market instead.

As frustration mounted among the waiting fans, security around the stadium was significantly increased. The number of police officers stationed at the gate doubled and later tripled, with officers indicating they had been deployed as a precautionary security measure.

Although there were a few tense exchanges between some supporters and police officers, the majority of fans remained calm, spending their time making phone calls and discussing possible ways of securing last-minute tickets.

However, no tickets materialised. Approximately 30 minutes after kick-off, police cleared the area and directed the supporters away from the entrance and back towards the parking lots, leaving many heartbroken after making the long journey to support their national team.

The disappointment outside the stadium was compounded by events on the pitch, where Ghana suffered a 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final group match.

Despite the loss, the Black Stars have progressed to the Round of 32 and are set to face Colombia in the knockout stage.