Accra Sports Stadium

Accra Sports Stadium
Former names	Ohene Djan Sports Stadium
Location	Accra, Ghana
Capacity	40,000[1][1]
Tenants
Great Olympics Hearts of Oak

Accra Sports Stadium is a multi-use, 40,000 all-seater stadium in Accra, Ghana, mostly used for association football matches. Originally known as the Accra Sports Stadium, the stadium was renamed after Ohene Djan, the country's first Director of Sports, in 2004. Its renaming was quite controversial and opposed by many in Accra's Ga community who felt that a prominent Ga should be given the honor since the stadium is a centerpiece of downtown Accra.^[2] 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.^[3]

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-nations 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, 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,^[4] and was also the venue of the 1978 final.

Notes and references

1. ^ www.fussballtempel.net
2. ^ Ghanaian Chronicle (28 April 2005). "Ohene Djan Did Not Warrant Honour - Adjin Tettey". Sports news (Ghana Home Page). http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=80345. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 
3. ^ "Ohene Djan Stadium renamed Accra Sports Stadium". Ghana Home Page. 2011-06-17. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=211396. Retrieved 2011-06-19. 
4. ^ "Accra National Stadium". Cup of Nations Venue Guide (BBC). http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/sport/football/africa/cup_of_nations/accra.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 

See also

• Accra Sports Stadium disaster
• Ghana national theatre
• Accra International Conference Center

External links

• Ghana-pedia webpage - Ohene Djan Sports Stadium
• New Work-in-Progress Photos - October 2007
• Photo at worldstadiums.com
• Photos at fussballtempel.net
• Stadium design Moreno Marrazzo

Coordinates: 5°33′05.51″N 0°11′30.36″W / 5.5515306°N 0.1917667°W / 5.5515306; -0.1917667

Preceded by Addis Ababa Stadium Addis Ababa	African Cup of Nations Final Venue 1978	Succeeded by National Stadium Lagos
Preceded by Cairo International Stadium Cairo	African Cup of Nations Final Venue 2008	Succeeded by Estádio Cidade Universitária Luanda