NSA chief discloses pressure from FIVE clubs to use Baba Yara Sports Stadium as home venue

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Director General of the National Sports Authority Prof. Peter Twumasi has revealed that five clubs have requested to use the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium as their home venue for the forthcoming Normalisation Committee’s Special Competition.

The much-anticipated Ghana Football Association Normalisation Committee is all but set to get underway on Saturday, March 30, following some initial setbacks.

Sixteen (16) top tier clubs will be grouped into two zones – Southern and Northern – with each zone comprising eight teams.

According to Prof. Twumasi, the competition will put pressure on the Baba Yara Sports Stadium pitch as Asante Kotoko, Asokwa Deportivo, King Faisal, Achiken Unity and Unity FC have all requested to use the venue as their home grounds.

“Though we have the capacity to host the five clubs that will be using the Baba Yara Sports Stadium as their home grounds, there may be some changes if the renovation process starts. The pitch is not in a good shape that’s our only challenge,” Prof. Twumasi intimated on OTEC FM.

The competition is expected to involve all 64 Ghana Premier League and Division One League clubs. However, one second-tier club – New Edubiase United – are yet to confirm their participation.

The two competitions are: the Premier League Competition for only top tier clubs – resembling the regular local topflight – and the Knock-out Competition for both top tier and Division One League clubs – resembling the regular FA Cup competition.

The 16 top tier clubs will be grouped into two zones – Southern and Northern – with each zone comprising eight teams.

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The top two teams from each zone at the end of the home-and-away league format will progress to the semi-finals, and then the two winners will meet in the grand finale to decide the ultimate winner, who will represent Ghana in the 2019-20 Caf Champions League.

The winner of the Knock-out Competition will represent the country in the 2019-20 Caf Confederation Cup.

The competitions are set to mark the resumption of football activities in the west African nation since the suspension of domestic leagues in June last year after an investigative documentary by renowned undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas left the Ghana FA and its leadership in a turbulent bribery and corruption scandal.

Owing to the long absence of football competitions, the Normalisation Committee – an interim body tasked by Fifa, Caf and the Ghanaian government to temporarily run the sport in the stead of the FA – announced the all-new championships in December to “keep clubs active” until the start of a new season.

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