Credit: Asempa Fm
The National Sports Authority (NSA) has announced plans to completely renovate all five major stadiums in Ghana by the end of 2027.
The move is part of efforts to solve Ghana's stadium crisis, where only one venue currently meets FIFA and CAF standards for international matches.
Acting Director-General of the NSA, Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, made this known in an interview on Asempa FM. According to him, the Authority is working to fix all major sporting facilities to ensure Ghana can host international games without challenges.
For the past few years, Ghana has struggled to get CAF-approved stadiums, forcing the national teams to rely on just one or two venues.
Currently, only the Accra Sports Stadium has conditional approval from CAF. The last Black Stars match played there was in September, when Ghana lost 4-2 to The Gambia in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Phased Renovation Plan
Professor Sarpong revealed that the renovation will be done in phases.
First on the list are the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi and the Accra Sports Stadium.
After that, work will move to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, followed by the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, and finally the Cape Coast Stadium.
"We are hoping to complete Essipong and Accra stadia, then we go and tackle Kumasi, then we proceed to Tamale, then we think of Cape Coast. The stadium was neglected just like Essipong," he said.
He assured Ghanaians that the venue problems will soon be over.
"We are gradually fixing the stadia. In the next one year or so, we will not be having problems with venues for our matches," he added.
Black Stars to Play at Essipong?
Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is pushing for the Black Stars to play their next AFCON qualifier double-header against Somalia at the Essipong Stadium.
The two matches are scheduled for later this month as part of Matchday 3 and 4 of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Essipong Stadium recently made a return to international football after seven years, when the Black Queens thrashed Mauritius 7-0 on October 13 in an Olympic Games qualifier.
Once completed, the renovation of the five major stadiums is expected to boost Ghana's sports infrastructure and end the over-reliance on a few venues for international competitions.
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