The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially approved the Accra Sports Stadium to host Ghana’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sudan on October 11, 2024.
This decision comes after the Baba Yara Stadium was deemed unfit due to its poor playing surface. CAF inspected the Accra and Cape Coast stadiums last weekend as potential venues.
In a statement addressed to Prosper Harrison Addo, General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), CAF expressed satisfaction with the Accra Sports Stadium’s condition.
“Following a comprehensive review of the CAF independent inspection reports, we are pleased to inform you that the Accra Sports Stadium has been approved to host the Group F – Matchday 3 encounter between Ghana and Sudan,” the statement read.
CAF emphasized the importance of necessary enhancements to the pitch and stadium facilities leading up to the match to ensure a positive experience for both teams and fans. The organization will continue to monitor the stadium’s readiness for this and future CAF-sanctioned events.
This match will mark the first competitive appearance for the Black Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium in three years, with their last game there against São Tomé and Príncipe. Since then, major fixtures have predominantly occurred in Cape Coast and Kumasi.
Ghana currently sits in third place in their qualifying group after a 1-0 loss to Angola at Baba Yara Stadium and a 1-1 draw with Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Berkane, amassing just one point. Otto Addo’s team is determined to secure all six points against Sudan to boost their chances of qualifying for the tournament in Morocco.
The GFA is expected to announce the squad for the doubleheader against Sudan and Libya later this week. The return leg against Libya is scheduled for October 14 at the Martyrs of February Stadium.
