Spintex Knights co-founder and team manager Dr. Eric Opoku-Antwi says 80% of the club’s campaigns in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) have been funded through personal contributions and support from his immediate network, as the Ghanaian side struggles to raise funds to return home from Libya.

Erica Odeenyin Odoom

Published 26 Oct 2026, 14:09 GMT

3 min read

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'About 80% of it was funded by myself, my family and my church' – Dr Eric Opoku-Antwi on Spintex Knights’ financial struggles

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Spintex Knights co-founder and team manager Dr. Eric Opoku-Antwi has revealed that about 80% of the club’s campaigns in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) over the past three years have been funded through personal contributions and support from his immediate network, as the Ghanaian side struggles to raise funds to return home from Libya.

The club is currently stranded in Libya over an outstanding debt of about US$33,000 covering flight tickets and visa-on-arrival charges after securing qualification for the BAL Elite 16.

Dr. Opoku-Antwi explained that although the club has received donations from supporters over the years, the bulk of its financial needs has been met through personal contributions and support from his immediate network.

He said the arrangement has helped keep the team competing at the continental level but has become increasingly difficult to sustain after three years of funding its campaigns.

“In the past, what has happened was that people supported with donations and then about 80% of it was funded by myself, my family and my church to push the team through. But man can do that for how long?” he said.

“Consistently doing it over three years will put a strain on you and if every year you are going to save people for the same thing, you cannot be going back all the time.”

The club requires GH¢350,000, approximately US$30,000, for flight tickets and a further US$3,000 to cover visa-on-arrival charges.

However, the Ministry has offered a different perspective on the funding situation, explaining that Spintex Knights’ request for government support came late.

According to the Ministry’s response, the club submitted a request for nearly US$146,000 on September 30, ahead of a qualification campaign that began on October 21, leaving limited time to process the request.

The Ministry said it had engaged the club, with the understanding that further support could be considered if the team progressed to the next stage, provided the request came early enough.

It also stressed that Spintex Knights is a private club and that funding responsibilities should be shared among the club, sponsors, the Ghana Basketball Federation and other partners, although government can support teams representing Ghana internationally.

On the court, Spintex Knights have continued to make progress despite their financial challenges.

The Accra Basketball League champions won all three of their Group B matches in the Division West preliminary stage in Tripoli, defeating Guinea’s Nabaya Sofas 96–90, Liberia’s NPA Pythons 88–66 and Benin’s Energie BC 92–71.

The results secured their place in the Elite 16 for the second consecutive year. The club also made history in 2024 as the first Ghanaian side to reach that stage of the competition.

Spintex Knights are scheduled to compete in the Elite 16 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from November 10 to 15, 2026, with the top two teams qualifying for the 2027 BAL season.

For now, the club must resolve its outstanding travel costs to return to Ghana and prepare for the next stage.

Erica Odeenyin Odoom

I, my family and my church funded 80% of the money - Dr Eric Opoku-Antwi speaks on Spintex Knights money crisis

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