With the daybreak of 2024, Ghana stood poised as a powerhouse in world soccer and boasted a wealthy historical past within the soccer sport.
The Black Stars have participated within the FIFA World Cup 4 instances and this achievement locations them as soccer elites.
But, regardless of these monumental achievements, one evident situation persists: Ghana, a rustic with such a proud footballing custom, nonetheless doesn’t have a contemporary stadium worthy of worldwide requirements.
This sums up the journey Ghana has travelled to turn out to be a four-time World Cup finalist—a really exceptional journey.
From that indelible debut on the 2006 World Cup, which they opened eyes with by making the Spherical of 16, to changing into quarterfinalists in 2010, Ghana has carved out its identify within the historical past books of soccer.
These successes have been made potential by immense expertise, ardour, and dedication—general—to soccer from Ghanaian gamers, coaches, and followers.
With all these successes, one would count on the infrastructure in soccer to be the identical as what occurs on the sector.
However this isn’t so, because the nationwide stadium, the Accra Sports activities Stadium, which was once the satisfaction of the land, appears worn out.
In-built 1960, it was redeveloped to host the 2008 AFCON, nevertheless it falls in need of the requirements one would count on of a rustic with Ghana’s pedigree in soccer.
The Cape Coast Stadium and Kumasi’s Baba Yara Stadium additionally used to host nationwide group matches however face comparable issues regarding put on and tear, outdated amenities, and poor upkeep.
The Essipong Sports activities Stadium and the Alliu Mahama Stadium, positioned in Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale respectively, epitomize the present rancid scenario of the nation.
Based on soccer fans, these two stadiums have a small sitting capability with very undulating sow-like amenities for any trendy expertise to be delivered to followers who come to look at soccer.
For a rustic that usually chews out world-class expertise and has impressed hundreds of thousands throughout the globe, the nonexistence of a top-tier stadium is not any small legacy in its footballing historical past.
Ghana’s soccer directors and successive governments have typically spoken about trendy infrastructure. Plans and blueprints for brand new stadiums have turn out to be like ping-pong balls: flying from one administration and one other inside the corridors of energy.
They continue to be on paper, as little or no exercise could be mentioned to be in movement in the direction of actualizing them.
Its participation in 4 World Cup finals ought to have been such a catalyst, a possibility to draw funding, and motive sufficient for constructing world-class amenities that can match the achievements of the nation on the pitch.
Which means Ghana’s residence video games—even in a interval of the World Cup qualifiers—happen at amenities which are ageing and signify nothing concerning the standing of the nation in world soccer.
The view can also be not that nice for followers, whereas gamers typically lament the situation of pitches and amenities. The shortage of a typical stadium has implications past status in internet hosting worldwide matches. Such a facility would spur companies, tourism, and job creation on the native stage.
With an added youth bulge and middle-class development of the inhabitants, demand for contemporary sports activities amenities can not be wished away.
This fashion, a contemporary stadium could become that twin incubator of the subsequent technology of soccer stars. These stadiums ought to have the right coaching amenities, medical facilities, and youth academies that kind the wherewithal for the nurturing of younger abilities to maintain Ghana on the forefront of world soccer.
That is 2024 and Ghana can not afford to have this albatross of no customary stadium hanging round her neck. The federal government, company Ghana, and soccer directors ought to all put their act collectively to verify this nationwide asset is accorded the wanted precedence.
This dream will solely be realised if there are public-private partnerships, worldwide collaborations, and progressive financing fashions in place. The Black Stars have given Ghanaians a lot happiness, satisfaction, and unity for thus many great moments.
It’s time the nation returned that religion with a house value their abilities. Subsequent-generation, world-class stadiums the followers deserve not solely to host trendy experiences but additionally representations of what the nation hopes to attain in world soccer.
The dream of elevating the World Cup will then patiently await its shoulders because the Black Stars try in the direction of glory.
However working parallel with that dream, identical to rails are to which a practice rides, have to be the strives of Ghana to place it proper off the pitch—a place to begin of getting a stadium commensurate with its footballing standing.
12 months 2024, and right here is Ghana, a four-time World Cup finalist, scratching it head to get a stadium prepared for internet hosting Afcon qualifiers in 12 days later.