The National Sports Authority (NSA) has announced the temporary closure of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, which will remain shut down until the next round of international matches.
The stadium will be reopened for Ghana's next home match on October 7, 2024.
The decision comes after the stadium's playing surface was heavily criticized by coaches and fans alike following Ghana's 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Angola on Thursday.
The poor condition of the pitch drew criticism from Angola's coach, Pedro Gonçalves, who expressed frustration with the playing surface.
"We always tried to play football, but the pitch was difficult," Gonçalves said. "A country like Ghana deserves a better stadium, a better pitch for football. They have such talented players."
Ghana's coach, Otto Addo, acknowledged the pitch's poor condition but refused to use it as an excuse for the team's loss, which ended Ghana's 24-year unbeaten record at the stadium.
"I don't want to blame the loss on the pitch, even though it wasn't in good shape," Addo remarked. "Against the Central African Republic, the pitch was also poor, but we managed to win. We simply have to do better."
Majeed Bawa, Deputy Director General of the NSA, defended the stadium's condition during an interview on Asempa FM, saying, "Are they suggesting that the Angolans were playing in the sky? They are all footballers. Those they assembled to play against the Black Stars are professionals, just like our team. They all played on the same pitch. CAF inspected and approved the pitch for the game."
Despite this defense, the NSA has decided to close the facility until October for maintenance and to repair structures vandalized by irate fans following Thursday night's match.
Asante Kotoko, who were scheduled to play their next home game at the Baba Yara Stadium, will now need to find an alternative venue for their Ghana Premier League matches.
