Sports
Tackling the Stadium Merry-Go-Round
Asante Kotoko’s recent struggles before dispatching Kwara United of Nigeria in the first round of the CAF Confederations Cup qualifiers highlight a persistent challenge for Ghanaian football: stadium readiness. With the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in poor condition at the time, Kotoko were forced to play their first-leg match in Accra, as other venues around the country failed to meet CAF standards.
While Accra offered vibrant fan support, it also came with a notable “against” factor—many Nigerian fans in the capital provided vocal support for their team, impacting Kotoko’s performance. Despite this, Kotoko edged Kwara United 4–3 in the first leg and secured a 1–0 win in the second leg to progress on a 5–3 aggregate.
Next, Kotoko faces Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, a team with a stellar record domestically and internationally:
- Domestic titles: 22 Moroccan League titles, 9 Moroccan Throne Cups, 1 Independence Cup.
- Continental/international titles: 3 CAF Champions Leagues, 1 African Cup Winners’ Cup (now CAF Confederations Cup), 1 CAF Super Cup, 1 Afro-Asian Club Championship, 1 Mohammed V Cup, 1 Arab Club Champions Cup, 1 Arab Super Cup, 3 North African Championships, 1 North African Cup.
Given the strength of this opposition, Kotoko’s focus should be on performance—but the conversation remains fixated on where the match will be played, as the readiness of Baba Yara Stadium remains uncertain. Renovations, including work on the playing surface, have been ongoing, with recent reports indicating the stadium is about 80% ready ahead of the October 19 fixture.
This issue reflects a broader infrastructural challenge in Ghanaian sports facilities, which has persisted for over a decade. Past venues such as Essipon Stadium, Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale, and Cape Coast Sports Stadium—built to ease pressures during the 2008 African Cup of Nations—are now in poor condition, barely meeting standards for international competitions. The University of Ghana Stadium is currently serving as a temporary alternative, but without long-term planning, it risks joining the ranks of neglected facilities.
To move beyond this “stadium merry-go-round,” decisive action is needed. This may involve reconstructing major venues, such as Accra’s or Kumasi’s stadiums, to ensure Ghana has world-class facilities capable of hosting international events without repeated last-minute fixes.
Ghanaian football deserves infrastructure that matches its ambition—anything less is a temporary and insufficient solution.
By Andrew Nortey
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Already relegated Eleven Wonders FC return to action on Friday with a determined quest to salvage pride as they host Bechem United FC at the Swedru Sports Stadium in the Premier League.
Despite their confirmed drop, Eleven Wonders remain committed to finishing the season on a competitive note. However, their campaign has been a difficult one, reflected in their poor run of form.
They are winless in their last five league matches, managing just a single draw against FC Samartex 1996 while suffering four defeats.
The numbers further highlight their struggles this season. With only 10 points from 28 matches, Eleven Wonders sit at the bottom of the table, having scored the fewest goals (17) and conceded the most (53) in the league.
Their home performances have offered little relief, with just one win, one draw, and three consecutive defeats in their last five matches on home soil—making them the weakest home side in the competition.
In contrast, Bechem United travel to Swedru with renewed confidence.
The Hunters have shown encouraging improvement, picking up points in four of their last five matches, including back-to-back 2-1 victories, two draws, and just one defeat. They currently sit 13th on the table with 37 points from 28 games, albeit with a game in hand over some of their rivals.
Having scored 25 goals and conceded 31 this season, Bechem United remain locked in a tense battle to avoid relegation, sitting just two points above the drop zone. While their recent form is promising, their away record remains a concern.
They have managed just one win, two draws, and ten defeats in 13 away matches this season.
That solitary away victory came in a crucial 2-1 triumph over FC Samartex 1996 at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena on matchday 27—a result they will look to build upon as they aim to secure valuable points on the road.
The Black Queens will on Wednesday, April 29, learn their opponents for the African qualifying phase of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament.
The draw, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will take place at CAF headquarters in Cairo and will be streamed live on CAF TV from 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
Ghana is among 35 national teams participating in the qualification campaign, which will determine the two African representatives for the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, scheduled for July 11 to 29, 2028.
The qualification series will be played over five rounds, with each nation aiming to secure one of the two available slots for Africa at the global event in Los Angeles.
Having recently climbed to 59th in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings and currently ranked third in Africa, the draw marks the beginning of another major international mission, the quest to seek a return to Olympic football.
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