Accra is bracing for more than just football this weekend. Asante Kotoko’s CAF Confederation Cup Preliminary Round duel with Nigerian visitors, Kwara United FC, has quickly become a magnet for both business and tourism around the Accra Sports Stadium.
By Saturday morning, the buzz was unmistakable. Traders, fans, and travelers turned the stadium’s vicinity into a bustling hub of color, sound, and commerce. For many, the match is not only a test of footballing strength but also an opportunity to cash in on the excitement.
“I want to make business, I want to see new faces,” smiled Agnes Amainiapong, a street vendor who had staked her spot at the stadium’s main gate.
Her stall is a mini football bazaar—fez caps, mufflers, shirts, and trinkets splashed with club crests.
She even came prepared for visiting fans.
“What is the colour of Kwara United?” she quizzed a reporter, before proudly waving a yellow-and-green flag.
“This is for them too. But they must part with a few cedis,” she said, eyes gleaming with the anticipation of brisk sales.
Okute… Kotoko fan flew in from Spain
Football tourism isn’t new to Accra, but continental fixtures like this supercharge it. Fans pour in from across Ghana, while Nigerians in the diaspora and those living locally are expected to add to Sunday’s crowd. The mix of cultures, accents, and allegiances creates a carnival-like atmosphere that spills beyond the terraces into hotels, bars, and roadside stalls.
For some, the occasion is deeply personal. Pablo Okute, a Ghanaian expatriate currently based in Spain, made the trip home just to watch Kotoko in action.
“I’ve been following Asante Kotoko since I was six,” he said proudly. “We are two-time continental champions. Kwara United is here on our turf—they stand no chance.”
Okute’s confidence reflects the traditional bravado of Kotoko supporters.
But football, as always, has its surprises. Just a day earlier, Algerian side JS Kabylie silenced fans of Ghana’s Beniani Gold Stars at the same venue, a reminder that continental football rarely respects reputations.
Still, for traders like Agnes and fans like Okute, Sunday’s encounter is about much more than the scoreline.
It’s about identity, memory, and opportunity.
In the heart of Accra, football is business, football is culture, and above all, football is tourism.
As the Harmony Boys from Ilorin prepare to test Kotoko’s resolve, the city around the stadium is already alive—proving once again that in Africa, football is never just a game.
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