Stephen Appiah calls possible AFCON qualifier abroad a ‘national embarrassment’

Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, has labelled the prospect of Ghana hosting its next home match in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers abroad as a “national embarrassment.” 

His remarks follow the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to revoke approval of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium due to its poor playing conditions.

The Baba Yara Stadium, which hosted Ghana’s recent AFCON qualifier against Angola, was banned after CAF deemed its pitch “unsuitable,” citing issues like poor drainage and uneven surfaces. 

With this decision, Ghana now faces the possibility of playing its upcoming qualifier against Sudan in October outside the country, in locations such as Togo, Nigeria, or Ivory Coast.

Appiah expressed his frustration in a tweet, stating: “Playing a qualifier outside Ghana, except in a tournament, is a national embarrassment. We must prioritise hosting our own games and protect our football pride.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has directed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to seek CAF’s approval for two alternative venues in Accra — the Accra Sports Stadium and the University of Ghana Stadium — to host the Black Stars’ next match. The ministry expressed confidence that both stadiums will meet CAF’s standards after inspection.

The directive comes as part of efforts to avoid the logistical and reputational challenges of playing home matches outside Ghana. The Accra Sports Stadium has already undergone significant improvements after a previous inspection by CAF, while the University of Ghana Stadium, which has hosted CAF Category 2 matches, is awaiting assessment for Category 3 certification.

Ghana now faces an urgent task to secure approval for these venues to ensure the national team can continue playing on home soil. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading the country’s sports infrastructure, including ongoing refurbishments at other national venues like Cape Coast Stadium.

CAF has encouraged Ghana to undertake comprehensive renovations of all major stadiums to meet international competition standards.

source: Graphic Online