NSA seeks full CAF approval for Essipong Stadium ahead of Ghana-Somalia fixture

The National Sports Authority (NSA) is working to secure full Confederation of African Football (CAF) certification for Essipong Sports Stadium to host Ghana's international fixture against Somalia in November.

Acting Director-General of the NSA, Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, said the authority was addressing the outstanding requirements needed to make the facility eligible to stage more international matches.

Full approval would provide Ghana with an additional venue for national team games and help reduce the pressure on the Accra Sports Stadium, which needs renovation work.

Speaking to Citi Sports, Prof. Osei Sarpong said the NSA was looking to make better use of the country's existing stadiums, with Essipong among the venues being considered for international fixtures.

“One of the plans is that we have Essipong Sports Stadium, Kumasi Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Tamale and Accra. These are five we have, and currently, Accra is certified. Fortunately for us, we got Essipong temporarily certified,” he said.

Essipong recently received conditional approval from FIFA and CAF to host the Black Queens' match against Mauritius on Tuesday, 13 October. The fixture marked the stadium's return to international football after years without regular use.

The NSA now hopes to build on that temporary approval by meeting the remaining requirements for full certification.

The authority is considering Essipong as a possible venue for Somalia's home fixture against Ghana in November. The arrangement would allow the Accra Sports Stadium more time for repairs while ensuring the match could be staged at another venue.

Somalia has already received approval from the NSA to use the Accra Sports Stadium for its home matches after CAF was unable to certify a stadium in the country.

However, the possibility of moving the fixture to Essipong is being explored as part of the broader effort to ease the demands on the Accra facility.

“We were trying to see if we could play one of them, especially the home match for Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium. It will be their home game. So it will really not affect us, so that at least Accra Sports Stadium will also have time to breathe,” he said.

The proposed arrangement would give the NSA an opportunity to address problems at the Accra Sports Stadium without immediately disrupting its role as Ghana's principal venue for international football.

Prof. Osei Sarpong's comments also point to a wider plan to improve the availability and condition of stadiums across the country.

The NSA has identified five key venues in its plans: Essipong, Kumasi, Cape Coast, Tamale and Accra. However, Accra is currently the only one with full certification, while Essipong has secured temporary approval.

Securing full CAF certification for Essipong would therefore expand the country's options when arranging international matches and reduce reliance on a single approved venue.

Beyond Essipong, the authority is also working to address infrastructure concerns at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Prof. Osei Sarpong said particular attention was being given to the dressing rooms, with the NSA considering changes that could help the venue satisfy the standards required for national team fixtures.

One proposal involves combining two smaller dressing rooms to create a larger space suitable for hosting national teams.

The plans form part of the authority's efforts to improve stadium infrastructure and increase the number of venues available for international football.

For now, the immediate priority is to meet CAF's outstanding requirements for Essipong and determine whether the stadium can host the proposed November fixture involving Somalia and Ghana.

If full certification is secured, the venue could offer an alternative to the Accra Sports Stadium and provide the NSA with greater flexibility while renovation work continues at the capital's facility.