In a display of unbridled passion and national pride, thousands of Ghanaian football supporters gathered at Accra’s iconic Black Star Square on Wednesday to celebrate their national team’s impressive 0-0 draw against England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage.
Ghana-based correspondent Thomas Naodi was on the ground at the central public space to capture the electric atmosphere, reporting on sea of black, red, yellow and green Ghanaian flags that waved across the plaza as fans sang traditional battle chants, danced to upbeat afrobeats, and embraced one another in shared excitement.
Many supporters had crowded around public screenings across the country to watch the Qatar-based match, and after the final referee’s whistle blew, thousands made their way to Black Star Square— the historic heart of Ghana’s national identity, where the country’s independence was declared in 1957— to mark the moment. The Black Stars, making their fourth World Cup appearance, held off repeated attacks from the higher-ranked three-time tournament champions, securing a hard-fought point that gave the side a fighting chance to advance to the knockout stage of the competition.
Even with the result falling short of a win, fans said the team’s performance against one of the world’s top football sides exceeded expectations and filled them with national pride. “We came into this match written off by everyone, but we held our own against England,” one long-time Black Stars supporter told Naadi on site. “That’s a win for us in our hearts.”
The gathering stretched late into the night, with street vendors selling national memorabilia and local snacks to the crowd, and the sound of vuvuzelas and celebratory horns echoing across central Accra.