2027 AFCON Qualifiers: GFA urges fans to fill Essipong Sports Stadium ahead of Somalia clash

Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director Henry Asante Twum has called on football supporters in the Western Region to turn out in their numbers for the Black Stars' 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Somalia.

Ghana will host Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi on Thursday, November 12, in the first leg of their double-header, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 GMT.

The two sides will meet again four days later in the return fixture as the Black Stars seek to revive their qualification campaign.

Asante Twum believes the decision to take the national team outside Accra for the first time in nearly two decades presents an opportunity to reconnect with supporters and create a memorable atmosphere for the players.

He said the team had already received a warm welcome upon arriving in the Western Region, highlighting the area's strong passion for football.

"There is a history that people of Takoradi love football. And that's what we witnessed and experienced at the airport," he told 3Sports.

The GFA communications director also recalled the positive experience of the Black Queens in Takoradi during their Olympic qualifying encounter against Mauritius, adding that the team's coach had shared his impressions with the players ahead of their arrival.

Despite acknowledging the disappointment among Ghanaian supporters following the Black Stars' opening defeats to Ivory Coast and The Gambia, Asante Twum believes the upcoming fixtures present an opportunity to turn things around.

He described the games as a fresh start, urging the players to seize the opportunity to deliver positive results in front of the Western Region supporters.

"In football, there is always an opportunity to tell a new story. And that opportunity is tomorrow," he said.

"We strongly believe that these two matches ahead allow us to write another story, to turn our campaign back on track," he added.

Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast before losing 4-2 to The Gambia in their opening Group C matches, leaving the four-time African champions without a point.

The Black Stars are desperate to secure qualification for the 2027 AFCON after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

The next edition of the competition will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with Ghana hoping to avoid another disappointing qualifying campaign.