Hundreds of football fans believed to be Ghanaians were left stranded outside Lincoln Financial Field in the United States on Saturday, June 27, 2026, after a reported ticketing mix-up prevented them from gaining entry to Ghana’s Group L World Cup clash against Croatia.
According to a report by The Atlantic, some of the supporters had travelled from Accra specifically to back the Black Stars but were ultimately forced to watch the match from the sidewalks outside the stadium after their expected tickets failed to arrive.
The report said confusion arose over the distribution of tickets to the large group. While some fans expected a representative of a supporters’ group to deliver the tickets at the venue, others alleged that tickets allocated to the group may have been diverted and sold on the secondary market.
As tensions mounted outside the stadium, police were deployed around one of the gates as a precautionary measure.
Although there were isolated tense moments between a few supporters and officers, the majority of fans remained calm, making phone calls and seeking alternative ways to secure entry before kickoff.
Those efforts, however, proved unsuccessful. About 30 minutes into the match, police cleared the area outside the gate and directed the disappointed supporters away from the stadium toward nearby parking areas.
The incident overshadowed Ghana’s matchday experience, with the Black Stars suffering a 2–1 defeat to Croatia in their final Group L game.
Despite the loss, Ghana advanced to the Round of 32, where they are set to face Colombia on July 4.
