..Ghana Playing Abroad, ‘national embarrassment’
Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, has described the potential of Ghana hosting its next home match in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers abroad as “national embarrassment,” following the ban on the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium, which hosted Ghana’s last game against Angola, had its approval revoked by CAF due to an “unsuitable playing field.”
The ex-senior national team captain wrote on X, saying “Playing a qualifier outside Ghana, except in a tournament, is a national embarrassment. We must prioritize hosting our own games and protect our football pride”.
This decision, leaves Ghana with limited options, and potentially hosting their next game against Sudan in October in Togo, Nigeria, or Ivory Coast.
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Dreams FC Head Coach, Karim Zito, had endorsed CAF’s decision to withdraw approval for the Baba Yara Sports Stadium for Ghana’s next home match in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The stadium, which hosted Ghana’s recent game against Angola, was banned due to an “unsuitable playing field.”
“I am okay with the decision by CAF because this will help us do things better,” Zito said.
“Today, we play at Baba Yara [stadium] the next time, trouble. During the African Confederation, I went to Rwanda and looked at their field, and said ‘Ghana, we are far far back’.
“If this [decision] will make sure [there are changes], I will be very happy.”
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has ‘instructed’ the Ghana Football Association to seek CAF’s approval for the Accra and University of Ghana Sports Stadiums to host the Black Stars’ next home match.
CAF took the bold step to withdraw Ghana’s permit to use the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi for its upcoming matches.
According to CAF, the facility does not meet certain international standards required for matches and have called on the Ghanaian government to take steps to upgrade it.
A key sticking point for CAF according to the Ghana Football Association was the poor state of the playing surface which was described as uneven with poor drainage and inadequate grass cover.
CAF, also expressed concern about the state of the Accra Sports Stadium and the Cape Coast Stadium which have also fallen into disrepair.
In the absence of a CAF approved category a stadium in the country Ghana has been given the option to select an alternative ground for the upcoming match week 3 and 4 games of the Afcon 2025 qualifiers.
The decision was made after Ghana’s game against Angola at the Baba Yara stadium on September 5, 2024.
