Sports
CAF saved us from shame!
Many Ghanaians cart-wheeled for joy the other day when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) settled on the Baba Yara Sports Stadium for the panicky Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier between the Black Stars and the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
CAF had rejected the Cape Coast Sports Stadium for its poor nature, the edifice having been used for the nation’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary – leaving the pitch woefully diminished in quality, in the process.
Having earlier confirmed the Cape Coast stadium as venue for the game – which was turned down, CAF had threatened to take the game to our sub-regional neighbours Benin or far north in Morocco. And, Ghanaian football fans dreaded the thought of having to travel hundreds of miles away for the game.
It had to take some exceptional diplomatic gymnastics for CAF to accept the Kumasi venue, and save the nation from shame – albeit with a myriad of conditions to meet.
Interestingly, we are told the Baba Yara stadium, which was renovated less than a year ago, was not even in fine fettle – and it had to take the magnanimity and high-mindedness of CAF, to ‘temporarily’ accept the venue. What!
What happened to our culture of maintenance?
It is increasingly becoming clearer and clearer everyday that the maintenance culture is very alien to us as a people. Successive governments and key stakeholders have spoken to this very topic, but it always remains mere talk with little or no action at all. Painfully, we do not seem to have any level of maintenance consciousness. It is shameful!
That the Baba Yara Stadium has been granted only a one-match approval for yesterday’s first leg qualifier is a huge dent on our image as a football nation!
Read the CAF letter to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in part: “… upon conclusion of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 play-off round match, the stadium is automatically removed from the list of CAF approved stadiums and will only be approved for any subsequent CAF/FIFA international senior national teams matches and CAF men’s inter-clubs competitions, following the implementation of all the CAF remarks.”
Again, this is discreditable!
Come to think about this, among the things that CAF ordered to be fixed is the water system to provide both cold and hot water in the teams and officials’ dressing room; general refurbishment of the CAF office, installation of modern desks and seats, including the necessary electronic and working equipment; complete refurbishment of the media tribune, press conference room and media centre and installing new and modern equipment.
Questions that many have asked is whether we did not have these in place as the standard demanded or they have just gone awful?
The National Sports Authority (NSA) is the body mandated to manage and maintain the national edifice, and must be alive to its responsibilities and not to allow itself to be turned into a fire brigade.
Ghana, we were told, spent close to $250,000 to rehabilitate the Accra Sports Stadium before the 2018 Total Women’s AFCON was held at the venue. It is nearly four years since that event was hosted. Today, take a trip to the stadium and see whether we have done justice to ourselves. We can do better than what the Accra stadium looks at the moment.
As we express our appreciation to CAF for its magnanimity in accepting the Kumasi stadium, let us wake up from our slumber – be on the qui vive, so that we do not find ourselves in such tight corner again.
We are bigger than that – and we do not have to allow ourselves to be subjected to such embarrassment and global ridicule. Never again!
PlainTalk With John Vigah
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.
GFA COMMUNICATIONS
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially awarded the nation the rights to host the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027.
CAF covered the decision in a letter addressed to the General Secretary, Lawyer Prosper Harrison Addo, Esq.
The decision underscores CAF’s strong confidence in the Ghana Football Association’s ability to organize and deliver a tournament that meets the highest standards of youth football on the continent.
Ghana last hosted the competition in 1999 – when the Black Satellites lifted the trophy on home soil amid scenes of national celebration.
Coincidentally, 2027 will mark the 70th Independence anniversary and the competition could be a great part of the celebrations.
CAF says it will work closely with the Football Association and a soon-to-be-established Local Organising Committee (LOC) to ensure the successful planning and execution of the tournament.
This collaboration is expected to focus on infrastructure readiness, logistics, security, and overall fan experience, all aimed at delivering a world-class event worthy of Africa’s growing football stature.
Beyond the excitement of hosting, the tournament represents a broader endorsement of Ghana’s reputation as one of Africa’s premier football hubs.
Over the years, the country has consistently demonstrated its capability to stage high-profile competitions, backed by passionate supporters, improving facilities and a rich football culture.
The CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations holds particular importance in the global football ecosystem. Widely regarded as a breeding ground for future stars, the competition has historically served as a launching pad for some of Africa’s most celebrated players. Many participants have gone on to achieve remarkable success at top European clubs and on the international stage, making the tournament a key showcase of emerging talent.
With history, passion and proven capability on its side, Ghana now stands poised to deliver a memorable and impactful U-20 AFCON tournament, one that could shape the future of African football once again.
