U-20 AFCON: Yaw Ampofo Ankrah hopeful funds will be allocated for stadium upgrades ahead of tournament

National Sports Authority (NSA) Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah is optimistic that a portion of the funds Ghana earned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be allocated to the Authority to support stadium upgrades ahead of the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

Ghana was recently awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 U-20 AFCON, a tournament that will form part of celebrations marking the country’s 70th Independence Anniversary.

The competition will return to Ghana for the second time, having previously been hosted by the country in 1999.

With significant improvements required to Ghana’s sporting infrastructure to meet CAF standards, Ampofo Ankrah believes funding from the country’s World Cup participation could provide an important boost to the rehabilitation of stadiums and other facilities.

He pointed to examples from other African countries that have publicly outlined how funds generated from major football competitions would be utilised.

“Other countries do it. I think DR Congo recently released their plan on how to, you know, use their funds, and I’m sure the GFA would do something similar in due course,” he said.

The NSA Director General, however, disclosed that discussions over funding are still ongoing and urged Ghanaians to remain patient while stakeholders work to secure the necessary resources.

“Conversations are ongoing, so let’s be patient and let’s be optimistic that we’ll hear something very positive,” he added.

Ampofo Ankrah further assured that the NSA is ready to channel any funds it receives into improving the country’s sporting facilities and undertaking the necessary rehabilitation works.

“For the NSA, you know, any good money that comes, yes, we’ll take it to make sure that we do the right work. So, we’re hoping that there’ll be good news, and hopefully that will be soon,” he said.

Ghana’s ability to successfully host the 2027 U-20 AFCON will depend heavily on the readiness of its stadiums, training facilities and playing surfaces.

With CAF’s infrastructure requirements demanding substantial upgrades, the availability and timely release of funds will be crucial to ensuring the country is adequately prepared for the continental tournament.