The National Sports Authority (NSA) is seeking full Confederation of African Football (CAF) certification for Essipong Sports Stadium so it can host Somalia’s home fixture against Ghana in November.
Acting NSA Director-General Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong said work was under way to complete the outstanding requirements and make the stadium eligible for more international matches.
Full approval would give Ghana an additional venue for national-team fixtures and reduce pressure on the Accra Sports Stadium, which requires renovation work.
Speaking to Citi Sports, Prof. Osei Sarpong said the NSA wanted to make more effective use of the country’s existing facilities.
“One of the plans is that we have Essipong Sports Stadium, Kumasi Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Tamale and Accra. These are five we have, and currently, Accra is certified. Fortunately for us, we got Essipong temporarily certified,” he said.
Essipong recently received conditional approval from FIFA and CAF to stage the Black Queens’ match against Mauritius on Tuesday, 13 October. The fixture was the stadium’s return to international football after years without regular use.
The NSA is now hoping to build on that temporary clearance by satisfying the remaining conditions for full certification.
Somalia has already been granted approval by the NSA to use the Accra Sports Stadium for its home matches because CAF could not certify a stadium in Somalia. However, the authorities are examining whether the November fixture could instead be held at Essipong.
That proposal would allow the Accra Sports Stadium more time for repairs while ensuring the match could be played at another approved venue.
“We were trying to see if we could play one of them, especially the home match for Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium. It will be their home game. So it will really not affect us, so that at least Accra Sports Stadium will also have time to breathe,” Prof. Osei Sarpong said.
The plan forms part of a wider effort to improve the availability and condition of stadiums across the country. The NSA has identified five key venues for its plans: Essipong, Kumasi, Cape Coast, Tamale and Accra.
Accra is currently the only stadium among the five with full certification, while Essipong has temporary approval. Securing full CAF certification would therefore give Ghana greater flexibility when arranging international matches and reduce reliance on one approved venue.
The NSA is also addressing infrastructure concerns at Kumasi Sports Stadium. Prof. Osei Sarpong said particular attention was being paid to the dressing rooms, including a proposal to combine two smaller rooms into a larger facility suitable for national teams.
The immediate priority, however, is to complete the outstanding work at Essipong and establish whether it can host the proposed November fixture between Somalia and Ghana. If full certification is secured, the stadium would provide an alternative venue while renovation work continues at the Accra Sports Stadium.
