The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has withdrawn its approval of the Baba Yara Stadium as a venue for Ghana’s home games in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers. Despite initial conditional approval for the stadium to host Ghana’s opening game against Angola, CAF has reconsidered due to observations from the recent Black Stars game against Palancas Negras.
CAF cited that the stadium does not meet the required standards for Category 3 international matches, specifically highlighting concerns about the playing field’s condition. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) must now find an alternative venue for Ghana’s next home game for the next round of games in the qualifiers since there are no CAF-approved Category 3 stadium in the country.
“It is important to note that, prior to the match, CAF had expressed concerns about the suitability of Baba Yara Sports Stadium for hosting top-tier international fixtures. Persistent issues at this venue, as well as others in Ghana, such as Cape Coast Stadium and Accra Sports Stadium, have also been noted.”
The Black Stars will host Sudan on October 11 in their next home game of the qualifiers, before traveling to face the same team four days later. Ghana is looking to turn their campaign around after a sluggish start, which saw them lose to Angola and settle for a draw against Niger in their first two matches.
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium is currently closed for renovations, with the National Sports Authority (NSA) working urgently to have it ready for next month’s match.
Additionally, CAF has offered support by providing an international pitch consultant to guide the necessary improvements, although the GFA will need to cover these costs.
However, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is considering relocating the Black Stars’ home matches to either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo.
According to reports,the GFA could consider the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa as a potential alternative venue for the Black Stars’ home matches.
