Ghana could lose the Confederation of African Football’s goodwill if urgent action is not taken to address the deteriorating condition of the Accra Sports Stadium, Berekum West MP Dickson Kyere-Duah has warned.
Mr Kyere-Duah said CAF had already shown considerable leniency by allowing Ghana to continue hosting international matches at the venue despite concerns over its suitability.
His comments followed an inspection of the stadium on Wednesday involving officials from the National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Sports Fund Board and members of Parliament.
The assessment comes as Ghana faces increasing pressure to improve its sporting infrastructure ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and the beginning of the new Ghana Premier League season.
Mr Kyere-Duah, who took part in the inspection, said the state of the stadium had declined so significantly that demolition and reconstruction should be considered.
He warned that Ghana could eventually run out of goodwill with CAF if the authorities failed to take decisive action.
“In our last qualifiers, CAF initially rejected this venue, so we went to Togo and other neighbouring countries. It took diplomatic manoeuvring to eventually get us to play our games here at the Accra Sports Stadium,” he said.
“I don’t think CAF will be charitable this time around if we leave the facility in this state.”
The MP said the future of the stadium should become the subject of an immediate national discussion, arguing that delaying a decision could affect Ghana’s ability to stage international fixtures.
“We need to do a lot more about this facility, and we should start having a conversation about the stadium as soon as possible,” he added.
Pressure grows over stadium’s future
The Accra Sports Stadium has been renovated and refurbished several times since it was built. Those projects have been intended to improve safety standards and ensure the venue remains eligible to host international competitions.
However, concerns about its current condition have increased in recent months as Ghana prepares for a number of important domestic and continental football events.
The inspection reflects wider concerns about the country’s readiness to provide facilities that meet the standards required for major competitions. Ghana’s football authorities and government officials will need to consider the stadium’s future as preparations continue for the upcoming CAF events and the new Ghana Premier League campaign.
Mr Kyere-Duah’s comments place the venue’s condition at the centre of that debate. He believes Ghana’s previous efforts to retain international matches at the stadium may not be enough to secure similar approval in future.
CAF initially rejected the Accra Sports Stadium for Ghana’s most recent qualifiers, forcing the country to play in Togo and other neighbouring countries before diplomatic efforts led to the venue being accepted.
With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations approaching, the stadium is likely to remain a key issue for the government, Parliament, the National Sports Authority and sports administrators.
The central question will be whether further refurbishment can restore the facility to the required standard or whether Ghana should pursue the more substantial option of demolishing and rebuilding the stadium.
