Ghana vs Nigeria game not moved out of Ghana yet - GFA Exco member

CAF representative inspets Baba Yara Stadium

FIFA rejects Cape Coast Stadium to host Ghana-Nigeria first leg - Reports

Nigeria selects Abiola Stadium for second leg against Ghana

An Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association ( GFA) has swatted reports that the first leg of the 2022 World Cup play-off between the Black Stars Ghana and Super Eagles of Nigeria will be played at a venue outside the shores of the country.

Fred Archie as he is known in the media space has explained that the GFA has triggered the Emergency license under extraordinary circumstances law to get the match switched from Cape Coast to Kumasi.

Speaking on Kessben FM, the CAF official said the Baba Yara Stadium could be used for the game after a CAF inspector visited the venue last Sunday.

"It was the initiative of the GFA to request for the inspection of the Kumasi stadium at the coast of Ghana, and they have done it. If the inspector is satisfied with the facilities, especially the pitch because the Cape Coast facilities are excellent the only problem is the pitch. If there is anything wrong with the Cape Coast pith then Kumasi Stadium will step in if the inspector is satisfied with what he has seen," he said.

"As I speak to you now, neither CAF nor FIFA has taken the game from Ghana," he added.

The Ghana Football Association submitted two venues for the first leg of the playoffs, that is the Cape Coast Sports Stadium and the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

The latter initially got rejected because renovation works were not complete, leaving the former as the only approved venue.

On March 6, 2022, Ghana hosted the 65th independence day anniversary at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium which left the pitch in a poor state.

Nigeria Football Federation upon seeing pictures of the pith wrote to FIFA through CAF, requesting that the game be moved to a neutral ground.

According to reports, FIFA has rejected the venue but the game could be played in Ghana if Baba Yara Stadium is approved this time.

In a case where the aforementioned venue is again rejected, FIFA will move the match to a neutral venue.

While uncertainty surrounds the home venue Ghana will use to hosts the first leg on March 25, 2022; Nigeria's selected venue, Abiola Stadium in Abuja is in good condition and ready for the second leg on March 29.