The Speaker of Parliament and founder of the Democracy Cup, Alban Bagbin, together with members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth and Sports visited English club Sunderland to deepen ties and explore new opportunities for the Democracy Cup initiative.

The Democracy Cup was established by the Speaker as a platform to bridge the gap between Parliament and citizens through sports while celebrating Ghana’s democratic journey.

The competition has become a symbolic event highlighting the role of sports in promoting national unity and civic engagement.

Since its inception, the tournament has produced two champions, with Ghana Premier League giants Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak emerging as winners.

As part of efforts to broaden the impact of the competition and expose players and administrators to international best practices, the Democracy Cup offers the winning club the opportunity to visit a partner club abroad.

Following their triumph in the maiden edition, Asante Kotoko traveled to Washington in the United States.

With a newly established partnership with Sunderland, the 2026 winners of the Democracy Cup will have the opportunity to visit the United Kingdom.



Meanwhile, last year’s champions, Hearts of Oak, are expected to face a Premier League club in South Africa later this year.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth and Sports delegation was led by Chairman Nogbey, Ranking Member Vincent Ekow Assifuah, and committee member Lawrencia Djowornu.

The visit marks another step in strengthening international collaboration through sport while advancing the broader objectives of the Democracy Cup initiative.