Essipong Stadium in Sekondi has received temporary approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to host Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Somalia, Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has confirmed.

Okraku announced the development during a meeting with Parliament’s Select Committee on Sports, revealing that the Black Stars will host the first leg of their November double-header at the renovated Western Region facility.

Ghana are scheduled to face Somalia on November 12 before taking on the same opponents in the return fixture four days later.

The approval follows renovation works carried out at the Essipong Stadium to improve its infrastructure and bring its facilities closer to CAF’s requirements for hosting international football matches.

CAF had earlier granted the Black Queens permission to use the venue for their Olympic Games qualifying encounter against Mauritius, providing further encouragement in efforts to restore the stadium’s status as an international football venue.

Meanwhile, Somalia, who do not have a CAF-approved home stadium, have secured permission to host the return fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The two encounters represent a crucial opportunity for Ghana to revive their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign after a disappointing start to Group C.

The Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké in their opening fixture before losing at home to The Gambia, leaving their qualification ambitions under significant pressure.

With their campaign in need of an immediate turnaround, Ghana will be determined to collect all six available points against Somalia and restore confidence among supporters.

The temporary approval of Essipong Stadium also represents a significant boost for football in the Western Region, with the venue set to welcome international football once again.