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Less than 35 days before the 2025 AFCON qualifiers kick off, here we go again in Africa this time, Ghana in the spotlight.
For Ghana, the situation is as precarious as it is peculiar. The nation boasts only one stadium approved by the CAF for international matches; the Baba Yara Stadium.
Baba Yara Stadium, Ghana.
Yet, in a curious twist, this same venue was recently rented out for a five-day religious event.
A grand crusade led by William Kumuyi, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, transformed the pitch into a sea of stages and canopies, with thousands of attendees treading on the natural grass.
This incident is not unprecedented. Earlier this year, the National Sports Authority (NSA) came under fire from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee for closing the Accra Stadium for a month to host various social events, including the BHIM musical concert, which left the playing field in deteriorated.
The Baba Yara Stadium, already plagued by maintenance issues, has seen better days. The NSA’s decision to rent it out, despite its condition, further sparked a wave of criticism.
Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey recently made a heartfelt plea to Vice President Dr. Bawumia, calling for an improved playing field during the Black Stars’ 2026 World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic.
“We want to say thank you for coming; we really appreciate it. I have one request from all the players: we are asking for a good stadium because we want to play better football, so we need a better stadium and also for us to perform better. It’s the only time we can see you for now, so I need to say it,” Partey said.
Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member Sammy Anim Addo echoed these concerns, lambasting the NSA for failing to protect the pitch.
“It’s a big disappointment. This [protection of the pitches] has been an issue for discussion for a long time, but the National Sports Authority appears not ready to do the right thing to preserve the pitches. As a country, we must begin to sanction duty bearers to serve as a deterrent.”
“Do we want to play our home matches in another country because our stadiums are unfit for international matches due to the authorities’ negligence?” questioned the president of the Premier League side, Young Apostles FC.
“We invest heavily in building stadiums, but we are not protecting them for sports. We love the game, but we don’t want to protect it,” he added.
In their defense, the NSA Ashanti Region promised fans that the pitch would be restored in time for future matches.
“We have a robust plan, a crack field and maintenance team to recover the pitch and restore the facility in general in record time throughout August. Stakeholders can rest assured,” they stated confidently.
Is it wrong to host events outside of football in the stadium? Not necessarily.
Even in Europe, giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid rent out their iconic stadiums for corporate events.
However, these occasions are managed with meticulous care, ensuring the pitch remains pristine for upcoming matches.
The situation at Baba Yara, however, is troubling. The stadium is already not in its best shape, and the recent religious event seemed to lack proper oversight, with facilities visibly compromised.
In fact, the vehicle carrying Pastor Kumuyi and his entourage drove across the athletics track on the opening day of the crusade, further underscoring the disregard for the stadium’s integrity.
