Otto Addo Expresses Worry Over Pitch Ahead of Ghana’s World Cup Qualifier Against Chad

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has voiced his concern about the condition of the playing surface at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno, where Ghana will face Chad in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Matchday 7 Group I fixture is scheduled for Thursday, September 4, in N’Djamena. While the stadium itself has been described as an impressive venue, the coach highlighted that the AstroTurf pitch poses a significant challenge.

Speaking during his pre-match interview, Addo said he found it difficult to understand how the surface had been approved for an international game.

“Yeah, so, yeah, I’m really surprised that they have allowed this pitch for an international match. The pitch is really, really not good. It’s very, very hard for the players, it’s like playing on concrete. But yeah, what can we do? We have to take it as it comes, and we are prepared,” he stated.

The Black Stars boss further emphasized that modern artificial pitches are designed to be safer and more player-friendly, unlike what they encountered in Chad.

“We observed everything today. Like I said, it’s not a good AstroTurf, to be honest. Nowadays, there are far better Astroturfs, which are also much healthier for the players,” Addo said.

The crucial encounter between Chad and Ghana is set to kick off at 1:00 PM today.