The National Sports Authority (NSA) is working to secure full Confederation of African Football (CAF) certification for the Essipong Sports Stadium to host Ghana’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture against Somalia in November.

Acting NSA Director General Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong confirmed that the Authority is addressing the outstanding requirements set by CAF to make the stadium eligible to host more international matches.

The Black Stars are scheduled to face Somalia in their Matchday 3 and 4 encounters in the ongoing AFCON qualifiers, with Ghana seeking to revive its campaign after a disappointing start.

Speaking to Citi Sports, Prof. Osei Sarpong said the NSA was working to improve the availability of venues capable of hosting international football matches in the country.

“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 Sports Stadium recently received conditional approval from FIFA and CAF to host the Black Queens’ return-leg Olympic qualifying match against Mauritius on Tuesday, 13 October.

The fixture marked the venue’s return to international football after years without regular use, although further work is required to secure full certification.

The NSA is now considering the stadium for Somalia’s home fixture against Ghana as part of efforts to ease pressure on the Accra Sports Stadium and allow more time for repairs at the venue.

Somalia has already secured approval from the NSA to use the Accra Sports Stadium for its home matches after CAF failed to certify a stadium in the country.

Prof. Osei Sarpong explained that staging Somalia’s home match at Essipong would give the Accra Sports Stadium additional time for maintenance without affecting Ghana’s preparations.

“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,” he said.

Beyond Essipong, the NSA is also working to address infrastructure challenges at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, with the condition of the dressing rooms among the areas requiring attention.

The Authority hopes that improving the country’s sporting infrastructure will increase the number of venues available for international competitions and reduce the burden on the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana’s need for a strong response in the AFCON qualifiers has become more pressing after the Black Stars lost their opening two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

The four-time African champions are yet to earn a point in the qualifying campaign and will be looking to turn their fortunes around in the upcoming encounters against Somalia.

Credit: ghanasoccernet.com