Sports Minister instructs GFA to ask CAF to inspect Accra and UG sports stadiums after Baba Yara stadium ban

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has instructed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to seek approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to use the Accra Sports Stadium and the University of Ghana Sports Stadium for the Black Stars’ upcoming home match in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

This directive comes after CAF banned the Baba Yara Stadium due to its deteriorating condition, leaving Ghana with limited venue options for the match. Consequently, Ghana might be forced to hold its next qualifier against Sudan in neighboring countries like Togo, Nigeria, or Ivory Coast.

In response, the Sports Ministry issued a statement urging the GFA to request a CAF inspection of both the Accra Sports Stadium and the newly built University of Ghana Sports Stadium. The Ministry noted that most issues at the Accra Sports Stadium have been resolved, and they hope CAF will assess the new University of Ghana facility for approval as a viable option.

The statement read: “The Minister has further instructed the Ghana Football Association to immediately request CAF to inspect the Accra Sports Stadium and the newly-built University of Ghana stadium, for approval as Category 3 match venues, for use by the Black Stars in its next international match in October.

The Ministry emphasized that previous concerns raised by CAF during an earlier inspection of the Accra Sports Stadium have been largely addressed, and while the University of Ghana Stadium has hosted CAF Category 2 matches, it still requires an official inspection to meet the standards for Category 3 venues, per CAF regulations.

Additionally, the Ministry has tasked the National Sports Authority with resolving issues related to the pitch at Baba Yara Stadium.

The University of Ghana Stadium has recently hosted events like the 13th African Games in March and the WAFU Zone B U-17 tournament in May, while the Accra Sports Stadium regularly serves as a home venue for Accra-based Ghana Premier League teams and clubs participating in CAF Inter-club competitions, such as FC Samartex and Nsoatreman FC.