Accra Sports Stadium should be rebuilt but demolition not feasible now – NSA DG Emmanuel Osei Sarpong

Acting Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Professor Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, has backed calls for the demolition and reconstruction of the Accra Sports Stadium but says the move would be impractical in the short term because of the lack of alternative venues.

The Accra Sports Stadium has undergone several renovation works over the years but continues to struggle to meet the standards required by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to host international matches.

The facility has also been described as a “death trap” by some members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Youth and Sports, who have called for its demolition and reconstruction.

However, speaking to Joy Sports, Professor Osei Sarpong said shutting down the stadium without securing alternative venues would create significant challenges for Ghana's national teams.

He explained that the facility plays a crucial role in hosting matches involving the country's senior and youth national teams, both male and female, and was previously the only stadium certified to accommodate all such fixtures.

“I would say yes because of the long term, but no because in the short term you can’t do it. For us, to demolish the Accra Sports Stadium means there are other options where we are supposed to play our matches,” he said.

The NSA acting boss warned that demolishing the facility without putting alternative arrangements in place could force Ghana to host some of its home matches outside the country.

According to him, such a situation would place additional financial pressure on the government and football authorities, who would have to cover the cost of staging matches abroad.

“If we are going to demolish it, were we going to play our home games outside the country? That was going to come with some financial burdens more than what we will require to play our matches at home,” he added.

Professor Osei Sarpong maintained that rebuilding the Accra Sports Stadium would be the best long-term solution but insisted that alternative venues must first be secured to accommodate the national teams throughout the construction period.

“For me, I’ll support the demolition and reconstruction of the Accra Sports Stadium in the long term, but not in the short term,” he stressed.