Providence welcomes Ghana national team for World Cup

PROVIDENCE – This year will be Ghana’s fifth World Cup appearance, but its first in the United States, as the team arrived in Providence on Wednesday and was greeted by fans at the Graduate by Hilton Providence hotel during a welcome ceremony.

Fans were lined up across the street hours before the team arrived on June 11, greeting one another as more and more arrived and chanting to show their support. Occasionally, cars passing by would honk their horns to show support.

Players, coaches and top Ghana Soccer Federation officials arrived at the hotel around 7 p.m., where FIFA officials shook their hands as they entered, while Ghanaian music and dancers were in the background.

Ghana Soccer Federation President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku was the first representative to come to the podium to speak. He first led the fans in the team’s official chants to continue to keep spirits high, then talked about what it meant to see the fans show up for the team.

“I’m extremely excited,” Simeon-Okraku said. “And extremely proud to see all of you here to support your own Black Stars.”

Simeon-Okraku also made sure to thank and praise Rhode Island for welcoming them and making them feel at home.

“I was promised that this would be our home, and it is,” Simeon-Okraku said. “What I’ve seen already confirms the promise that was made, that this would be our permanent home.”

Simeon-Okraku wrapped up his speech, outlining the team’s goal for the World Cup, albeit lofty for a team that hasn’t advanced past the group stage since 2010.

“Ghana is here,” Simeon-Okraku said. “And Ghana is here to stay. And Ghana will lift the cup.”

Director of Art, Culture and Tourism for the City of Providence Joe Wilson Jr. was the city’s representative to speak at the event. Wilson Jr. highlighted the time and effort it took the city to prepare for Ghana and its fans’ arrival this summer, while also agreeing with Simeon-Okraku that the city wants to see the team bring back the World Cup trophy with them.

According to Wilson Jr., the city will raise Ghana’s flag at City Hall at 4 p.m. on Friday, and an hour later, the city will hold a “cultural experience and concert” at Biltmore Park. Wilson Jr. ended his speech with the event’s unofficial message of making Providence, Ghana’s second hometown.

The Black Stars will be practicing at Bryant University during the World Cup. Bryant President Ross Gittell talked about the amazing opportunity and excitement throughout the Bryant community to host a national team’s practice at their facilities.

Bryant will host the Black Stars’ first practice session on Saturday, though it is an invite-only event. Bryant also plans to host a youth clinic that will be open to the public, but Gittell didn’t provide any details on when the event will be held.

Augustine Boadi is a former Bryant University soccer player from Ghana who graduated this year. Gittell credited Boadi for helping connect the Black Stars and the university to make sure everything is in order and goes according to plan. Boadi even referred to himself as a bridge between the two.

“It’s amazing,” Boadi said. “I don’t know how to describe it. To be able to have the Black Stars come to a school that has helped me grow so much and change my life. So, having these two parts of my life come together in an epic tournament like this, I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island will host Ghana national team for World Cup soccer tourney