Somalia’s national football team has accused host nation Ghana of intimidation after security personnel interrupted their training session at the University of Ghana Stadium on Tuesday, just days before a crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
According to the Somali delegation, the team held their first training session outside the stadium on Monday. They then requested and received permission from the university to use the stadium for their second session on Tuesday. However, after arriving and beginning their training, security officers reportedly stormed the pitch, ordered the players to leave, and began picking up the team’s training equipment. The session was subsequently interrupted, and the team was forced to return to training outside the stadium as they had the day before.
Former Ghana Football Association Communications Director Ibrahim Sannie Daara revealed that officials from the Somali side raised concerns about the incident and accused Ghana of using such tactics to intimidate them ahead of the encounter. The Somali camp has expressed dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled.
Stadium officials have disputed the Somali account, explaining that the visitors had only been granted permission to use an auxiliary training pitch, not the main playing field. The security personnel were therefore directing them to the area assigned to them.
The controversy has emerged just days before an important two-legged tie for both teams. Ghana will host Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi on Thursday, November 12, before the teams meet again on November 16. Both sides are seeking their first win in Group C after losing their opening two matches.
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