Sports

FIFA Turns Down Cape Coast Venue For Ghana Versus Nigeria Playoff Clash

FIFA has rejected the Cape Coast Stadium in Ghana as the venue for the first leg of the 2022 FIFA World Cup play-off between Ghana and Nigeria on March 25.

The Ghana Football Association has consequently proposed that the match be played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

The Cape Coast Stadium was outrightly rejected by the world football ruling body due to the damages of the infrastructure following Ghana’s independence celebrations on March 6.

The Nigeria Football Federation had petitioned FIFA requesting a change in venue with their complaint centered on the condition of the pitch at the Cape Coast Stadium.

If the Baba Yara stadium is also rejected, the game could be moved out of Ghana to a neutral ground. Ghana may have to choose between Morocco and Benin Republic to host the game.

The first leg of the match is scheduled for March 25, 2022, with the second leg four days later at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.