The Black Stars’ participation in a community outreach programme at Bryant University has become a major talking point ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite no reported breaches of safeguarding or event regulations.
The engagement session, held under FIFA and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Be Active campaign, featured members of Ghana’s national team interacting with children from local football clubs as part of activities promoting healthy lifestyles through sport.
Among the players who took part was experienced midfielder Thomas Partey, whose involvement in the youth-focused event has generated considerable discussion following widespread circulation of images and videos from the programme.
The Black Stars participated in the initiative on Saturday as part of their final preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off this week across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The event saw Ghanaian players lead football drills, sign autographs, pose for photographs and share motivational messages with young participants. Partey was among several squad members who actively engaged with the children during the session.
The Be Active campaign, launched jointly by FIFA and WHO during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, seeks to tackle physical inactivity among young people worldwide by encouraging children and adolescents to undertake at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
However, Partey’s presence at the event has sparked debate in some circles, with discussions centering on safeguarding considerations and the participation of high-profile public figures in youth engagement programmes.
The conversation has intensified following media coverage of the outreach session, although neither FIFA nor the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has suggested that any rules, safeguarding measures or event protocols were violated.
The programme was conducted in a controlled and supervised environment at Ghana’s official training base, with coaches, team officials, volunteers, security personnel and event organizers all present throughout the activities.
Meanwhile, the Black Stars remain focused on their World Cup campaign, with head coach Carlos Queiroz overseeing the team’s final preparations ahead of their Group L opener against Panama in Toronto on June 17.
Despite the public discussion surrounding the outreach initiative, Ghana’s attention remains firmly fixed on making a positive start to the tournament as the four-time African champions pursue a place in the knockout stages.
The Be Active campaign continues to form an important part of FIFA’s broader efforts to leverage football’s global influence to promote healthier and more active lifestyles among children and young people around the world.