Ghana named World Cup favourites ... for GDP

Ghana is as long as 75/1 with some bookmakers to win this summer’s World Cup, but the IMF predicts the west African nation will walk away with a world title of a different kind in 2010.

Figures collated by M&G Investments show the IMF calculates Ghana will have an annual percentage change of 5% this year, more than any other nation competing at the tournament in South Africa.

Nigeria will also post a 5% annual change, the IMF predicts, while Chile is third favourite for the ‘IMF GDP World Cup' with an expected 4% change. England (represented as UK) is 22nd favourite with GDP change expectations of less than 1% while Spain - World Cup favourites with most bookies - are bottom of the IMF list with a figure approaching -1%.

Brazil, five-time World Cup winners and second favourites to win this summer's tournment, are 10th on the IMF's chart.