GPL: Kotoko sacrifice Baba Yara for Len Clay Stadium switch

Asante Kotoko will now host their home games at the Len Clay Stadium following the Ghana Football Association’s approval of their switch from Accra on Tuesday.

The record league winners have had their traditional grounds – the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi – closed for renovation for more than a year, a situation which forced the club to adopt the Accra Sports Stadium.

After a few games into the start of the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League (GPL), Kotoko moved to have their home grounds changed to Tamale, citing pressure on the Accra facility as one of their key reasons. But they were turned down by the GFA.

After the completion of the first round of the GPL, the club issued yet another home venue change request – this time to the Len Clay Stadium, a facility owned by regional rivals AshantiGold in Obuasi.

“The Ghana Football Association has confirmed that Asante Kotoko SC will play its home matches at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium for the second round of the 2020/21 league season,” read parts of a statement Tuesday.

The move also means Kotoko have sacrificed playing at the Baba Yara Stadium this season despite the facility’s renovation being almost complete.

The GFA, in granting the switch to Obuasi, sounded out to the club “that any subsequent request to relocate within the course of the second round of the season shall not be entertained.”

Asante Kotoko won three, drew two and lost twice at their adopted Accra Sports Stadium home grounds during the first round of the 2020/21 GPL.

The second round is scheduled to kick-start on Friday, April 2.