Ghana's national deaf football team, the Black Wonders, have made an emotional appeal to President John Dramani Mahama, demanding urgent government support ahead of the inaugural Deaf African Football Cup of Nations (DAFCON) 2026.

The team, through the Ghana Deaf Football Association (GDFA), has raised concerns over what it describes as years of neglect, unfair treatment and a lack of financial support for deaf football in the country.

In a petition addressed to President Mahama and Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, the association called for immediate assistance to prepare the team for the tournament, which will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from November 30 to December 13, 2026.

The competition will also serve as a qualification tournament for next year's Deaf World Cup, which will give Ghana a chance to secure a place on the global stage.

However, the GDFA claims its efforts to secure government funding have yielded no results, despite submitting a budget to the Sports and Recreation Minister in April.

“We cannot afford to miss this wonderful opportunity to make Ghana proud,” the petition stated.

“It is very sad that only Deaf sports have been sidelined when it comes to government sponsorship. Is it a sin to be born Deaf in Ghana?”

The association questioned why the Black Wonders continue to struggle for financial support while other national teams, including the Black Stars, Black Queens, Black Princesses, Black Starlets and the national amputee football team, receive government backing.

It further alleged that the team has to pay to use facilities managed by the National Sports Authority, while officials depend on personal contributions to provide playing kits for the players.

The GDFA also claims that its players have won international trophies for Ghana without receiving financial rewards from the state.

Adding to the team's difficulties, the association revealed that Ghana's participation in the 2023 Deaf World Cup in Malaysia left an outstanding hotel bill of US$24,000.

The GDFA is now calling on President Mahama and Minister Kofi Adams to address the situation and provide the necessary resources to ensure the Black Wonders do not miss another major international opportunity.

The Black Wonders have previously brought honour to Ghana, winning silver at African level and gold in West Africa. They are now hoping for the support needed to compete for more success at DAFCON 2026.