The Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has cast doubt over Ghana’s readiness to host the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), warning that the country faces a race against time to upgrade its deteriorating sports infrastructure.
His comments come amid growing public concern over the condition of the nation’s sporting facilities, particularly after viral images showed groundsmen working on the pitch at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium using rudimentary methods that attracted widespread criticism.
Two months ago, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially awarded Ghana the hosting rights for the 2027 TotalEnergies U-20 AFCON, a tournament expected to attract some of Africa’s brightest young football talents.
Despite the prestigious award, Ampofo Ankrah believes Ghana is currently ill-prepared to stage the competition unless immediate investments are made in the country’s stadiums and sports infrastructure.
Speaking on the state of the facilities, he blamed years of inadequate funding for the poor maintenance of the Accra Sports Stadium and other national sporting venues.
“If we don’t have funding—whether from corporate bodies, international partnerships, or the state—nothing is going to happen. Where we are now, I don’t think we can host the U-20 AFCON unless we start work immediately,” he cautioned.
The NSA boss lamented that despite Ghana’s rich football pedigree, including five appearances at the FIFA World Cup, the country still lacks stadiums that consistently meet international standards.
“We have been to the World Cup five times, yet we don’t have a standard stadium. That should worry all of us,” he said.
His comments underscore the urgent need for significant investment in sports infrastructure if Ghana is to successfully host the continental tournament and maintain its reputation as one of Africa’s leading football nations.
Meanwhile, the NSA has initiated steps to determine the true condition of the country’s premier sporting venue by engaging an international technical firm to assess the Accra Sports Stadium.
According to Ampofo Ankrah, the experts have completed their inspection and are expected to submit a comprehensive report that will guide the Authority on the next course of action.
“As we speak, we are expecting a report from a foreign company that conducted a technical review of the facility. They will determine its current state and advise on whether we need renovations or even a temporary closure—be it for a week, a month, or longer,” he explained.
He said the findings would enable engineers and technical experts to decide whether extensive renovation works or temporary closure of the stadium would be necessary to restore it to acceptable standards.
Ampofo Ankrah expressed hope that the assessment process would lead to swift decisions and immediate action, stressing that Ghana cannot afford further delays if it is to deliver a successful U-20 AFCON in 2027.
His remarks add to the growing debate over the state of Ghana’s sports infrastructure and the urgent need to modernise stadiums to meet both CAF and international standards ahead of the continental showpiece.
