We always love to play in front of our home fans - Otto Addo on Baba Yara Stadium ban

Published on: 13 September 2024
We always love to play in front of our home fans - Otto Addo on Baba Yara Stadium ban
Otto Addo

Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo has shared his disappointment after the Baba Yara Stadium was banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The ban follows after Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat against Angola in their opener of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The stadium has been described as unfit to host international games by CAF.

The ban means the Black Stars will play their home games away from the country.

Reacting during the CAF Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte D’Ivoire, Addo acknowledged the frustration of not being able to play in front of home fans but emphasized the importance of adapting to the situation.

“It’s really a pity. We always love to play in front of our home crowd but at the end of the day we have to do the best out of this situation," the 45-year-old trainer said.

"If we have to play somewhere else, then it’s like that. I don’t want to use my energy to think too much about that because it’s not in our hands, there is nothing we can do about it, it’s CAF’s decision.

“I hope that we manage all the things so that we can play at home as fast as possible for our crowd to see us," he added.

The Black Stars are scheduled to face Sudan in a doubleheader in October, with the first match on October 7 at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue, followed by the return leg at Al-Merrikh Stadium on October 15.