Eric Tinkler targets Hearts win in 2026 Democracy Cup debut

Asante Kotoko coach Eric Tinkler wants a victory over Hearts of Oak when he experiences Ghana’s biggest football rivalry for the first time in the 2026 Democracy Cup on 28 August. The South African says beating Kotoko’s traditional rivals would be the best way to reward the club’s supporters.

The fixture is a ceremonial match linked to Ghana’s Parliament and the country’s Fourth Republic. It also carries a competitive incentive, with the winner earning a trip to the United Kingdom to face English Premier League club Sunderland.

Tinkler took charge of Kotoko before the 2026-27 season and is using the match as an early opportunity to establish himself with the Porcupine Warriors. He expects the occasion to draw a large crowd and wants his team to produce a strong display in front of its home support.

The 56-year-old has managed several major derbies in South Africa, experience he believes will help him handle the intensity surrounding the meeting with Hearts. His immediate focus is on preparing Kotoko during the two weeks before the fixture.

The Democracy Cup will come before Kotoko’s Ghana Premier League campaign begins. Tinkler’s first full season in charge will start with an away game against newly promoted Debibi United, making the Hearts match an early test before the league schedule gets under way.

A win would give Tinkler an early success in one of Ghana’s most significant football rivalries and send Kotoko into the new season with the additional reward of a Sunderland fixture to anticipate.