FIFA is considering taking the first leg of the World Cup playoffs between the Black Stars and the Super Eagles away from Ghana over the condition of the pitch.
The Ghana Football Association opted to host the first leg of the tie at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium, but the ground is in a deplorable state.
Pictures emerged last week of the playing surface showing bald patches and muddy stretches.
Nigeria then filed a petition to FIFA with evidence that the Cape Coast pitch was not suitable for international football.
Now FIFA has stepped in and warned Ghana that they might have to choose between Morocco in far away North Africa or nearby West African neighbour Benin Republic to play the first leg on 25 March.
The Confederation of African Football is due to conduct a final inspection of the Cape Coast pitch on Monday.
The CAF/FIFA delegation arrived in Ghana on Sunday and will be led by the Ghana FA officials to inspect the venue’s facilities with the pitch the main focus.
Ghana will seek to convince the inspection team that the pitch will be made ready in 11 days’ time for the match. If not, Ghana will have to lose their home advantage and play the first leg in Morocco or Benin Republic, which is next door to Lagos and has a sizable Nigerian population.
If the first leg is held in a neutral venue, it will not be the first time for the Super Eagles, who played two of their away World Cup qualifiers on neutral grounds in 2021, including the one against Liberia in Tangier, Morocco.
