Accra Sports Stadium

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Accra Sports Stadium
Ohene Djan stadium, Accra.jpg
Exterior of the Accra Sports Stadium
LocationAccra, Ghana
Coordinates05°33′05″N 00°11′31″W / 5.55139°N 0.19194°W / 5.55139; -0.19194Coordinates: 05°33′05″N 00°11′31″W / 5.55139°N 0.19194°W / 5.55139; -0.19194
Capacity40,000[1][2]
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1961
Renovated2007
ArchitectAlexander Barov,
Tenants
Great Olympics
Hearts of Oak

The Accra Sports Stadium, formerly named the Ohene Djan Stadium, is a multi-use stadium (40,000-capacity, all-seater) located in Accra.[3] Ghana, mostly used for association football matches. It is also used for rugby union.[4]

Overview[]

The stadium was inaugurated in 1962 by a football match played between Accra XI and Kumasi XI. Originally known as the Accra Sports Stadium, the stadium was renamed after Ohene Djan, the country's first Director of Sports, in 2004 after renovations. Its renaming was quite controversial and opposed by the Ga people.[5] There has been ongoing controversy about the name of the stadium. On June 16, 2011, the name 'Ohene Djan Stadium' on the stadium building was changed to 'Accra Sports Stadium' without any official announcement by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly supported by the National Democratic Congress Government.[6] It has since been reverted.

As a designated venue of some of the 2008 African Cup of Nations matches, the stadium was rebuilt, upgraded, and modernized to meet FIFA standards. Work on the stadium was completed in October 2007. It was inaugurated with a four-nation tournament that Ghana won (the Zenith Cup).

The stadium is also the home of one of Africa's most popular clubs, Hearts of Oak as well as Great Olympics and Legon Cities FC, but Ghana's national team matches are sometimes played there.

During the 2000 African Cup of Nations in Ghana and Nigeria, the stadium hosted 9 matches,[7] and was also the venue of the 1978 final.

The venue has also hosted important professional boxing events, numbering 91 professional boxing programs as of August 2020.[8] Perhaps the most famous one took place on Saturday, November 6, 1976, when Ghanaian David Kotei, the World Boxing Council's world Featherweight champion, lost his championship to future International Boxing Hall of Fame member, Mexican-American Danny Lopez by a 15 rounds unanimous decision.[9] This program also featured a bout between undefeated, 29-0 prospect Sulley Shittu and Felix Figueroa, which Shittu won by 8 rounds decision.[10] The crowd for this event has been estimated at over 100,000 fans.[11]

See also[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ^ "China loans 31 million USD for Accra Sports Stadium-". AIDDATA. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Accra Sports Stadium – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com.
  3. ^ "World Stadiums - Stadiums Ghana". www.worldstadiums.com.
  4. ^ "Conquerors blow Hurricanes away in Rugby Championship Final - X Live Africa". xliveafrica.com.
  5. ^ Ghanaian Chronicle (28 April 2005). "Ohene Djan Did Not Warrant Honour - Adjin Tettey". Sports news. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  6. ^ "Ohene Djan Stadium renamed Accra Sports Stadium". Ghana Home Page. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
  7. ^ "Accra National Stadium". Cup of Nations Venue Guide. BBC. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  8. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  9. ^ "Hall of Fame Friday: Danny "Little Red" Lopez". The Ring. 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  10. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  11. ^ "Best I Faced: Danny 'Little Red' Lopez". The Ring. 2019-02-11. Retrieved 2021-07-26.

External links[]

Preceded by African Cup of Nations
Final Venue
1978 		Succeeded by
National Stadium
Lagos
Preceded by African Cup of Nations
Final Venue
2008 		Succeeded by
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