President John Mahama has announced plans for the construction of seven new stadia across Ghana in 2026, as part of a wider effort to improve sporting infrastructure and make the nation’s football more competitive on the continental stage.
The President disclosed the initiative during a meeting with officials of Bibiani GoldStars and Asante Kotoko at the Jubilee House on Saturday. GoldStars and Kotoko are currently Ghana’s representatives in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively.
Mahama said the government is determined to expand access to world-class facilities beyond Accra, where the capital’s Sports Stadium remains the only venue meeting international standards. It currently serves as the home ground for both GoldStars and Kotoko in their continental campaigns, as well as hosting recent Black Stars matches.
“The Finance Minister will present the budget in November, and I was telling the Sports Minister and Director-General of the National Sports Authority that next year we are going to build about seven brand new stadia,” Mahama revealed to loud applause.
“We want every region to have a stadium fit for purpose so that we can improve playing conditions and make our football more competitive.”
His pledge comes against the backdrop of deteriorating facilities nationwide. Stadia such as Kumasi’s Baba Yara, Tamale’s Aliu Mahama, and Sekondi’s Essipong — all upgraded for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations — have fallen into disrepair, with Essipong in particularly dire condition. The Cape Coast Stadium, opened in 2016, has also suffered from neglect.
While the announcement has been welcomed by many stakeholders, critics caution that Ghana risks repeating past mistakes unless a comprehensive maintenance plan is established. Without sustained upkeep, they warn, the new stadia could suffer the same fate as existing ones, forcing the country into another cycle of costly renovations.
