AFCON 2023: Black Stars camping moved from South Africa to Kumasi after backlash

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced the relocation of the Black Stars pre-tournament camp for the 2023 AFCON from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Kumasi.

This decision follows a review meeting between the Management and Technical Team, signaling a departure from the original plan.

Initially slated to commence their training camp in South Africa from Sunday, December 31, 2023, for ten days in preparation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Tournament in Cote D’Ivoire, the Black Stars will now set up camp in Kumasi starting Tuesday, January 2, 2023.

Alongside this change, the international friendly against Botswana, scheduled for Monday, January 8, 2023, in Johannesburg, has been canceled.

The Football Association assured fans that a new opponent for the team would be announced soon as part of the build-up to the tournament.

Furthermore, the team's training sessions in Kumasi will be conducted behind closed doors, with no access granted to the public and media.

However, an exception will be made for a dedicated session with the media. The friendly match, which replaces the Botswana encounter, will be open to the public, followed by a post-match press conference.

Ghana, placed in Group B alongside football powerhouses Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique, is set to kick off its AFCON 2023 campaign against Cape Verde on Sunday, January 14.

Subsequent group stage matches include facing Egypt on January 18 and Mozambique on January 22.

The decision to switch the location for the camping comes on the back of public furor that greeted the initial announcement of South Africa as venue for the 10-day preparation.

According to critics, the decision failed to consider financial implications under the circumstance as well as weather disparity between South Africa and Ivory Coast.



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