The Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has confirmed that the current condition of the Accra Sports Stadium makes it unsuitable to host matches for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana is scheduled to host the next edition of the U-20 AFCON in 2027, coinciding with the country’s 70th independence anniversary celebrations.
The tournament will mark the second time Ghana has hosted the competition, having previously staged and won the title in 1999.
Speaking on Sporty FM, Mr Ampofo Ankrah said the Accra Sports Stadium is deteriorating and urgent action is needed to bring it up to the required standard.
“The Accra Sports Stadium is breaking up; I don’t think we can host the upcoming U-20 AFCON unless we start work immediately,” Yaw Ampofo Ankrah said.
The NSA boss revealed that the stadium was inspected a few weeks ago with the knowledge of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, adding that authorities are awaiting a report detailing the condition of the facility and the renovations required.
“There was a review and a tour of the entire facility with a French company just two weeks ago; the Ministry of Sports and Recreation is privy to this. The report should be ready any moment to tell us the true state of the Accra Sports Stadium and the extent of work that needs to be done,” he said.
He added that the rehabilitation project will require financial support from government, corporate institutions and international partners, warning that without adequate funding, the needed works cannot be completed.
“It’s about funding. So I can talk, I can request, I can do all that needs to be done. But if we don’t have funding, whether from corporate [institutions], international partnerships, or from the state, nothing is going to happen,” he added.
