Ghana risks losing U-20 AFCON hosting rights without stadium upgrades – Kofi Adams warns

The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has warned that Ghana could lose the hosting rights for next year’s U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament if urgent improvements are not made to the country’s sports facilities.

Ghana secured the right to host the continental youth competition as part of activities marking the country’s 70th Independence Anniversary celebrations.

However, concerns have emerged over the readiness and condition of several stadia expected to be used for the tournament.

Speaking in an interview with TV3, Mr Adams stressed that upgrading key facilities remains crucial to ensuring Ghana successfully stages the competition.

The Buem Member of Parliament noted that hosting a major CAF tournament requires venues that meet the required standards, warning that failure to undertake the necessary renovations could jeopardise Ghana’s opportunity.

“Ghana has gotten the bid to host the U-20 African Championship next year, but we cannot host these events if we don't upgrade some of our facilities,” the Buem MP said.

The Sports Minister’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about the state of Ghana’s sporting infrastructure, with calls for major renovations to stadia and training facilities ahead of the tournament.

Authorities are expected to embark on improvement works to ensure the country meets CAF’s hosting requirements before the commencement of the competition.