The Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has stressed the urgent need for a sustainable, long-term solution to stop the continued deterioration of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Speaking after an inspection visit to the stadium on Tuesday, Ampofo Ankrah admitted that previous interventions had been largely temporary and inadequate for meeting the growing demands of both international and local football competitions.
“The issue obviously is long-term. We’ve been doing short-term back and forth,” he said. “Long term, what can be done to ensure that not just that portion of the stadium, but the entire stadium is brought up to scratch?”
He revealed that a comprehensive renovation is planned after the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September, aimed at restoring the iconic venue in Kumasi to acceptable standards.
“For now, the idea is to have a comprehensive revamp after the qualifiers. However, if anything changes between now and then, it will definitely be communicated to all of us,” he added.
The Baba Yara Stadium has faced persistent challenges in recent years, including poor pitch quality, decaying infrastructure, and subpar facilities — conditions that have left it below Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards.
Due to the stadium’s current state, it remains uncertain where Ghanaian clubs Asante Kotoko and Bibiani GoldStars will host their CAF interclub home matches, as they await clarity on the venue’s readiness.
