Yesterday, the University for Development Studies (UDS) men’s football team returned to Tamale to the cheers of a city proud and waiting. Fresh from their historic victory at the 2025 FISU Universities World Football Tournament in Dalian, China, the team was met with a jubilant reception at Tamale International Airport, then paraded through the streets in a momentous escort to the UDS campus.
As their plane descended against a setting sun, crowds gathered at the airport, waving flags, singing, and chanting the names of their champions. Hundreds of residents, students and well-wishers lined the arrival halls, waiting with hopeful eyes. Among them were the Vice-Chancellor of UDS, university staff, and local leaders who welcomed the team as heroes.
From the airport, the procession wove through Tamale’s main Streets, until reaching the university grounds. Motorcycles, cars, and foot processions accompanied the team, with people spilling onto pavements and intersections. Drums pounded, banners flapped in the wind, and the air was thick with pride.
“This is for the children,” said Muntari Yakubu, a father and longtime football fan, as he held his son aloft to see the procession. “They have done us proud. Tamale is celebrating today.”
In the days ahead, the buzz continues. Social media is ablaze with congratulations. Students are planning campus parties. Journalists and radio talk shows are dissecting key goals, tactics, and what this means for Northern Ghana’s sports future.
The streets of Tamale may quiet tonight, but the echoes of yesterday’s welcome linger: pride, unity, and hope. For many, the UDS team’s triumph is more than a win on a foreign pitch, it is a testament to the belief that Tamale’s youth can compete and conquer on the world stage.
