A National Shame: Ghana's Football Legacy in Shambles

How does a footballing nation, a giant of the African game, with trophies lining its history, find itself without a single stadium fit for international play? Ghana, a country that once inspired awe on the continent and beyond, now stands disgraced before the world, forced to consider hosting its national team’s matches in foreign lands—Côte d’Ivoire or Togo—because our own fields are unworthy. This is not just a failure of infrastructure; it is a monumental collapse of vision, a betrayal of our football heritage, and an embarrassment that hangs like a dark cloud over the NPP government, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and the Ghana Sports Authority.

We are told $250 million was spent to improve our stadiums and pitches for the All-African Games. Yet here we are, barely months later, with the Baba Yara Stadium—a symbol of national pride—deemed unsuitable for international fixtures. The pitch is uneven, drainage is poor, and the very foundations of the stadium crumble under the weight of incompetence. What became of that $250 million? If these funds were truly meant for our sports infrastructure, they have clearly been siphoned off into private pockets, leaving the people of Ghana with nothing but broken promises and unplayable fields. This is not mismanagement; it is daylight robbery of the highest order, a scandal that reeks of corruption from every angle.

How can a country that calls itself a footballing nation—a country that has produced legends who have graced the world stage—now be without a single stadium to host its own team? The NPP government must answer for this disgrace. They have sat idly by as our sports facilities deteriorated, claiming progress while the evidence of failure stares us in the face. Where is the accountability? Where is the leadership? The Ministry of Youth and Sports, entrusted with the care of our national pride, has proven itself utterly inept. They have allowed our beloved Baba Yara Stadium, once the heart of Ghanaian football, to fall into ruin. This is nothing less than a betrayal of the people.

The Ghana Football Association, too, has failed us. Where was the foresight? Where was the planning? How did they allow this disaster to unfold without taking pre-emptive action? The GFA, meant to be the guardian of our footballing future, has stood by while the present crumbled around them.

And now, the Ghana Sports Authority, the body tasked with managing and maintaining our sports facilities, must also bear the brunt of this disgrace. They have been entrusted with the stewardship of our stadiums, yet have failed in their duty to ensure these arenas remain fit for purpose. Their negligence is a glaring testament to the systemic failures that plague our sports infrastructure.

What could have been done differently? The answer is clear: proactive maintenance, rigorous oversight, and transparent management. Instead of waiting for the stadiums to fall into disrepair, there should have been a continuous, preventative approach to upkeep. Regular inspections and maintenance schedules could have prevented the current state of neglect. Transparency in the allocation and use of funds would have ensured that every cedi spent contributed to genuine improvements rather than vanishing into the void of corruption. Engaging with international experts and involving community stakeholders in the management process could have fostered accountability and effectiveness. By prioritizing these actions, our leaders could have safeguarded Ghana’s sporting legacy and ensured that our stadiums remained the pride of our nation.

Ghana is now a nation scrambling for solutions, looking to our neighbours for refuge, all because our leaders—those who should have protected our footballing legacy—have failed us. This is more than just a stadium issue. This is a national disgrace. It is a stain on our identity as a footballing powerhouse and a stark reminder that corruption and mismanagement have left our once-great nation faltering.

Ghana deserves better. Our players deserve better. The Black Stars, who have carried the weight of our hopes and dreams on their shoulders, should never have to call another country's stadium "home." Yet here we are, humbled, broken, and forced to seek refuge elsewhere because those in power neglected their duties.

This is not just an issue for football fans. It is a national crisis, a failure so profound it shakes the very foundations of our sporting culture. And until those responsible—the NPP government, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the GFA, and the Ghana Sports Authority—are held accountable, we will continue to watch as our nation’s pride is kicked from one foreign field to another, our football legacy fading under the shadow of shame.

Ghana, wake up. Demand answers. Demand change. This is your legacy, too.