Ghanaian soccer fans in Worcester, Massachusetts, are prepared to rally behind the Black Stars ahead of the 2026 World Cup, viewing the tournament as another opportunity for the nation to showcase itself on the world stage.
At Anokye Krom, a Worcester restaurant that has served the city’s Ghanaian community for more than 20 years, supporters gather around a shared passion for soccer.
For many Ghanaians, the national soccer team represents more than a group of athletes. Fans often view the Black Stars as warriors competing on behalf of Ghana and, at times, the broader African continent.
“Ghana has been the star of Africa,” said Richard Boateng, Anokye Krom’s owner.
Boateng named the restaurant after Anokye, a 17th-century West African priest and warrior. The restaurant serves authentic Ghanaian food, including jollof rice, but also functions as a gathering place for soccer fans.
“Soccer brings everybody together. Football is something powerful,” Boateng said.
Boateng said his own love for the game has remained strong years after he stopped playing competitively.
“I was shooting from both left and right legs. I confuse many keepers before they realize the ball isn’t the net,” he said.
That passion extended to the next generation. His son, Isaac Boateng, said soccer played a central role in daily life while growing up in Ghana.
“Growing up back home, soccer was everything, soccer was what we were breathing. You would go outside, all you see, people playing soccer. That’s the game that we love,” Isaac said.
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Fans said the national team helped bridge political, religious and ethnic differences throughout the country, particularly after Ghana qualified for its first World Cup in 2006.
“It’s a moment that brings national unity anytime the national team is playing regardless of political affiliations regardless of religious affiliations. Once the national team is playing we only know one Ghana,” Ghanaian fan Kwame Kesse said.
Ghana reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2010, becoming just the third African nation to advance that far in the tournament. Supporters viewed that achievement as evidence that Ghana could compete with larger and wealthier countries.
Fans hope for another memorable run when Ghana faces fourth-ranked England at Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 23.
Source: News – Boston – necn
