National Sports Authority (NSA) Board Chairman Prof. Fred Awaah has described the condition of the Accra Sports Stadium as alarming, saying the facility would have been demolished if the Authority had its way.
Prof. Awaah spoke after an inspection of the stadium on Wednesday, August 26, involving NSA officials, members of the Ghana Sports Fund and government representatives.
He warned that the state of the facility could pose a serious safety risk if its structural problems are not addressed.
“That’s just a death trap. You never know when the entire place will collapse, maybe with a big population, where we will have another disaster. Again, if we had our own way, we would have pulled down the infrastructure for a new one to be underway,” he told Citi Sports.
The Accra Sports Stadium last underwent major renovations in 2018 ahead of Ghana’s hosting of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. It was also renovated and modernised in 2007 as part of preparations for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite the interventions, the latest inspection has raised fresh concerns about the stadium’s safety and ability to host major sporting events.
The stadium remains one of Ghana’s main sporting venues and is among facilities approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to host Category A matches.
The concerns come as Ghana prepares to host the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, while the Black Stars are set to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in September.
Authorities are expected to step up rehabilitation efforts to ensure the facility meets required safety and international standards ahead of the competitions.
