The Club Licensing Manager for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Esme Mends has expressed concerns about the readiness of the Baba Yara Stadium to host competitive matches, particularly ahead of Ghana’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
Currently, the Baba Yara Stadium is the only facility in the country that meets the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA standards required to host international games.
However, the stadium’s condition has deteriorated, with the grass on the pitch significantly damaged after a five-day ‘Kumuyi’ Church event held in July.
With the Black Stars scheduled to face Angola in their Group F opener on September 5, Mends highlighted the state of the playing surface as the primary concern.
“Our major concern was the playing field, which wasn’t in a good state,” Mends said in an interview with Luv FM.
“If there’s to be any major activity, unfortunately, Baba Yara is not ready to host a competitive game at this time.”
Despite the current issues, Mends noted that the National Sports Authority (NSA) is working diligently to restore the pitch.
“The NSA is working tirelessly on the pitch, and we were impressed with what the workers were doing. I am confident they will have the Baba Yara pitch ready for the Angola game,” he added.
