The Director-General of Ghana’s National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has issued a scathing assessment of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, describing the facility’s current condition as unworthy of hosting even youth-level football.
Following an inspection tour on Thursday, July 31, the NSA chief expressed deep concern over the deterioration of the pitch, which has not hosted a competitive match since Asante Kotoko’s Week 33 Ghana Premier League fixture against Medeama SC in June.
“The state of the pitch at the moment, you cannot even play colts football on it,” Ampofo Ankrah told reporters. “The weather, which is a natural source, has not been too favourable in this part of the country over the past few weeks.”
His comments come just weeks before the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) plans to stage its annual Top 4 tournament at the venue, scheduled for August 20. The timing of the revelation raises doubts over the stadium’s readiness for both the tournament and the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season, which kicks off on September 12.
Asante Kotoko, who use the Baba Yara as their home ground, have formally requested to return to the stadium for the upcoming season. However, the NSA has not given its approval yet, pending urgent upgrades.
“Kotoko officially wrote to us just over a week ago,”Ankrah revealed. “They wish to use this venue, but as we can all see, we need to make sure everything is in perfect condition before that can be done.”
He called for collective national effort to rehabilitate the facility in time. “We need to put our act together, join forces, and make sure it happens. The experts have given us a timeline, and we must work hard to meet or even beat that deadline.”
The Baba Yara Stadium, Ghana’s oldest and one of its most iconic sporting venues, has long served as a proud symbol of football heritage in Kumasi. But with grass cover thinning, drainage issues mounting, and facilities crumbling, fans and stakeholders alike are growing increasingly impatient.
