It’s official. This year’s edition of the now annual Stars Soccer Fiesta, which hitherto has been played every year by national team players against musicians, will take place at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on June 24 with the added incentive of actors teaming up with the musicians to take on the Stars.
The Stars soccer fiesta which began at the Carl Reindorf Park in Dansoman in 2007, has grown over the years taking place among them at the El-Wak and Accra Sports Stadium. But in a re-invention and bid to inculcate all Ghanaians with the aim to champion the cause for peace and tranquility in this election year, the event will for the first time take place away from Accra but with the major stakeholders and celebrities all participating.
In the event, the Stars Soccer Fiesta which has over the past five years seen participation by among them Stephen Appiah, Andre Dede Ayew, John Mensah, Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah, Muntari, Paintsil, Amakye Dede, Samini, Agya Koo, Tinny, VIP, Obuor, Castro, Kwabena Kwabena, Funny Face, will this year welcome on board screen celebrities as Kwami Sefa Kayi, Majid Michel, John Dumelo, Juliet Ibrahim, Shirley Frimpong Manso, Chris Attoh, Prince David Osei and even international football stars like George Oppong Weah, Ivorian Emmanuel Eboue and Anton Ferdinand of England.
Accra Media against Kumasi Media is one of two curtain raisers before the main match which will have musical performances before, during and after the game. An all star thanksgiving dinner and after party is billed for the Golden Tulip Hotel, also in the garden city on the night of June 24.
According to event organizers GoldStar Consult Limited, aside the efforts at promoting peace, this year’s soccer fiesta will also raise funds to support charity as it has over the past five years as well as donate some of the proceeds to the Ghana Football Association’s juvenile soccer programme.
“The prime objective of this year’s event is to champion free, fair and peaceful elections where the Chairman of Electoral Commission, NCCE and selected stars will deliver peaceful messages as the country prepares to go to the polls later this year,” said Sammy Anim Addo, CEO of GoldStar Consult Limited.
Mr. Anim Addo added: “We also want to augment the effort and quest of the FA to uplift juvenile soccer by playing the best select colts side Ashanti versus Greater Accra as a curtain raiser on the match day.”
Very glad at the ambition was George Afriyie, GFA Executive Committee Member who is also head of the FA’s juvenile committee.
“It’s a very good idea which the FA welcomes and will give all our support because it’s time to resuscitate colts’ football in this country. It’s a priority of the FA and we are committed to the cause,” Mr. Afriyie stated at Thursday’s press conference in Accra to launch the Stars Soccer Fiesta Reloaded 2012.
The Musicians have lost on all five previous occasions this special football game has been played but Bice Osei-Kuffour famously called Obuor, President of Musiga, the Ghanaian musicians association, is assuring fans to troop to the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi because the celebrities will be victorious this time.
“I can promise you we are going to win, that is our main target this year. We are going to train hard and sharpen our skills and use every means possible to beat the Black Stars. We shall win this year,” an obviously very confident Obuor said.
He was backed by the President of the Actors Guild of Ghana, Samuel Odoi Mensah, who pledged they will score not less than five goals against the national team players. “I don’t know why the musicians have allowed themselves to be beaten always.
“We actors are strong and training everyday so we are good sportsmen. We can run, we can play and I’m telling you Majid Michel will score four goals, Nana Ama McBrown will score two goals and John Dumelo will score one,” Mr. Odoi Mensah stated convincingly.
