Ibrahim Saanie Daara criticizes poor condition of Ghana's stadium pitches 

CAF Media Officer Ibrahim Saanie Daara has expressed his frustration over the deteriorating state of Ghana's football pitches, comparing them to 'weeds' as the country faces a stadium crisis.

His comments come in the wake of CAF's recent ban on the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, which was deemed unsuitable for hosting international matches after Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Angola.

The ban on Baba Yara Stadium has left Ghana scrambling to find alternative venues for upcoming matches, including their 2025 AFCON qualifier against Sudan.

With limited options, the Black Stars may be forced to play in neighboring countries such as Togo, Nigeria, or Ivory Coast.

In an interview with JoyNews, Saanie expressed his disappointment with the state of Ghana’s playing surfaces.

“I am sorry to say that we've relied on local companies to deliver on what we call pitches, but to be honest, a lot of what I have seen... I would say what we have in Ghana are just weeds instead of pitches,” he remarked.

He also questioned why Ghana has not enlisted its top-class international experts to resolve the issue, pointing out that CAF has tightened regulations around pitch standards.

"Those days when any wishy-washy pitch could pass are long gone," Saanie said, noting that more than 15 countries are now hosting their international matches abroad due to inadequate stadiums.

The current stadium crisis underscores the urgent need for Ghana to invest in improving its sporting infrastructure to meet international standards and avoid further penalties from CAF.