The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has moved to clear the air surrounding the confusion over Somalia’s training arrangements at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying encounter against the Black Stars.
GFA General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo has described the incident as a matter of miscommunication, firmly dismissing suggestions that the visiting side’s training session was cancelled.
Speaking in an interview with Asempa FM on Wednesday morning, November 11, Harrison Addo explained that Somalia had been allocated the warm-up pitch within the university’s sports complex, rather than the main stadium, which had already been reserved for a university programme.
He acknowledged that a communication lapse contributed to the confusion, as the leader of the Somali delegation, who was expected to receive the necessary information and directions to the designated training facility, was not properly briefed on the arrangements.
The GFA General Secretary further clarified that it was the university’s campus security personnel, rather than the police, who instructed the Somali contingent to vacate the main playing surface.
According to Harrison Addo, the misunderstanding was partly attributable to the campus security officers’ limited familiarity with the logistical arrangements surrounding international football engagements.
“The main stadium was not allocated to Somalia but rather the warm-up pitch in the same yard. Their training was not cancelled,” he stated.
Harrison Addo also disclosed that the Somali Football Federation had not lodged any formal complaint over the incident, adding that relations between the two football associations remain cordial.
The clarification comes amid preparations for Ghana’s crucial double-header against Somalia in the race for qualification to the 2027 AFCON, which will be staged in East Africa.
The Black Stars are scheduled to host Somalia on Thursday, November 12, at the Essipong Stadium in Takoradi, in what will be the first meeting between the two nations in the qualifying double-header.
Ghana will subsequently travel for the return encounter on Monday, November 16, as both countries seek to strengthen their qualification ambitions.
For the Black Stars, the home fixture presents an opportunity to establish an early advantage and build confidence ahead of the return leg. Somalia, meanwhile, will be determined to frustrate their hosts and secure a favourable outcome.
With the GFA having addressed the concerns surrounding Somalia’s training arrangements, the focus now shifts to the pitch as Ghana prepare to welcome their East African opponents in Takoradi.