Qatar 2022 World Cup Playoffs: CAF Turns Down Ghana Offer To Change Match Venue

  Qatar 2022 World Cup Playoffs: CAF Turns Down Ghana Offer To Change Match Venue Sampson Adedeji African soccer governing body, CAF, has turned down an offer by the Ghana Football Association to change the venue of the Qatar 2022 World cup playoff between Black Stars and Nigeria's Super Eagles, BSNsports.com.ng can report.   GFA has communicated to CAF on December 24th, 2021 that Cape Coast will be the venue for the game only to turn by in January 2022 that the game will be played at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.   According to the statement from CAF, the football governing body said it's too late to change the match venue and ordered that the match be played in Cape Coast as earlier scheduled.   “The FIFA World Cup 2022 preliminary competition regulations in its article 21 venues, kick-off times and training sessions stipulate that “The venues of matches shall be set by the host association and/or by the confederation, as applicable, and the matches may only be played in stadiums that have been inspected and approved by the confederation concerned. The opponents and the FIFA general secretariat shall be notified by the host association and/or by the confederation, as applicable, at least three months before the match in question is due to be played.   “24th of December 2021 was the deadline set by CAF for the participating national associations to select and communicate to Caf their preferred venue for the playoff round of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifiers. On the 23rd of December 2021, GFA informed CAF that Cape Coast Stadium was the venue selected for the playoff round of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifiers.   “Based on the venue selection received from each of the participating national associations, CAF has timely concluded the assessment of the selected stadium(s) and communicated to FIFA the venue decisions for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifiers playoff round.   “Considering that matchday is in less than 30 days, CAF is not in a position to delay any further the confirmation of the match venue. As you are aware, the selection of the venue, respective date and time of the match, has to be set well in advance having a direct impact on the preparation of match logistics and operations by all the concerned parties.   “Besides, please note that Kumasi Sports Stadium is currently non-homologated by CAF to host international matches since it has been under renovations and no CAF inspection was conducted to the stadium to re-assess the level of stadium compliance.   “Considering the above, the request of a change of venue is not accepted, hence the match Ghana Vs. Nigeria for the playoff round of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifiers should be maintained at Cape Coast Stadium.   “In case your association reiterate the position to change the venue since there is no other approved venue in Ghana, your national team will be requested to play its upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifiers playoff round match in an approved stadium outside its territory, and the venue must be selected from among the stadiums approved by CAF," the statements reads