Black Stars to camp in Florida
Ghana's Black Stars will be heading for the United States to finalise their preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by setting up a training camp in sunny Florida and playing friendly match ahead of the 32-nation soccer fiesta in Brazil.
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With 36 days to football’s biggest global gathering, Ghana and other World Cup teams expect to take advantage of Florida's tropical climatic conditions and time zone which are similar to those of host the nation to polish their strategies.
Others headed to cities across the sunshine state to bask in the heat and humidity are African champions Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, England, Greece, Bosnia Herzegovina, Ecuador, Honduras, Japan and South Korea.
The Stars are scheduled to begin their training camp in Florida first week of next month and will play a friendly game against South Korea on June 9 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.
It will be Ghana’s final warm-up game before the Stars head to Brazil for their opening Group G clash with the United States in Natal a week later.
Meanwhile, Ghanaians in Florida, in particlar, relish the opportunity of watching the Stars in action before they move to Brazil, with the various Ghanaian community groups already mobilising to accord the national team a memorable stay in Florida.
Ghanaian groups are working in collaboration with the International Youth and Sports Organisation (IYSO), a US-based Ghanaian NGO, to implement a programme of action.
IYSO has been mandated by the GFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to undertake fundraising and promotional activities, including an event in Miami themed: “A day with the Black Stars” at which soccer fans will interact with the players, get photo opportunities and purchase souvenirs and a special World Cup publication.
