The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has granted preliminary approval to two Ghanaian stadiums in preparation for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
With the qualifiers’ inaugural round scheduled to commence in November, the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium have been officially designated as the endorsed venues for the matches to be held in Ghana.
Of notable significance is the omission of the Accra Sports Stadium from the list of pre-approved venues, even though it has traditionally been a prominent choice for football events within the country.
Ghana has been positioned within Group I for the qualifiers, competing alongside Mali, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad. A novel qualification format was revealed by the CAF Executive Committee in May 2023, featuring nine groups comprising six teams each. The victors of each group will secure direct entry to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Furthermore, as a result of the augmentation in the number of CAF teams securing direct qualification—from five to nine—there will be play-offs for the top four group runners-up. These play-offs will determine the CAF representative for the inter-confederation play-offs.
The Black Stars are aspiring to earn qualification for the 2026 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
