2027 AFCONQ: GFA pushing for Ghana v Somalia game to be played at Essipong Sports Stadium

Ghana could host their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Somalia at either the Accra Sports Stadium or the Essipong Sports Stadium, Acting National Sports Authority (NSA) Director-General Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong has revealed.

The senior national team is scheduled to face Somalia in a double-header during the November international break, with the two sides meeting in Matchday 3 and 4 of the qualifying campaign.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, Osei Sarpong said the NSA had received official correspondence confirming the Accra Sports Stadium as the venue but disclosed that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is seeking a change.

According to him, the GFA is pushing for the match to be staged at the Essipong Sports Stadium in the Western Region, despite an official communication indicating that the Accra Sports Stadium will host the fixture.

“The game can be played either at the Accra Sports Stadium or at the Essipong Sports Stadium,” he said.

“Officially, the letter we have states that the game will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium, but the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is pushing for the game to be played at the Essipong Sports Stadium.

“There is a meeting, and by the close of day today, a decision will be made on where the game will be played,” he added.

Ghana will host Somalia in the first encounter on Thursday, 12 November, before the return fixture on 16 November, with both matches expected to take place on Ghanaian soil.

The Black Stars head into the double-header under pressure after a disappointing start to their qualifying campaign.

Ghana suffered successive defeats against Ivory Coast and The Gambia in October, leaving them without a point from their opening two Group C matches.

The four-time African champions will be desperate to secure maximum points against Somalia to revive their qualification hopes and avoid missing a second consecutive AFCON tournament after failing to reach the 2025 finals in Morocco.

The Essipong Sports Stadium recently hosted Black Queens’ win over Malawi in the 2028 Olympic Games Qualifiers.