The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has given preliminary approval to two stadiums in Ghana for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
With the first round of qualifiers scheduled to commence in November, the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium have been designated as the official venues for the matches to be held in Ghana.
Notably absent from the list of pre-approved stadiums is the Accra Sports Stadium, which has traditionally been a prominent host for football events in the country.
Ghana has been placed in Group I for the qualifiers, alongside Mali, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad. The new qualification format, announced by the CAF Executive Committee in May 2023, features nine groups, each consisting of six teams. The group winners will secure direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Furthermore, due to the increase in the number of CAF teams directly qualifying, from five to nine, the four best group runners-up will participate in playoffs to determine the CAF representative for the inter-confederation playoffs.
The Black Stars are hopeful of securing a spot in the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
