FIFA meets Ghana on Cairo fears today

The much anticipated meeting between FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, Ghana's Youth and Sports Minister Hon Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi is set to take place on Monday 11th November in the Togolese capital Lome.

The convergence in West Africa rather than Zurich is seen as a goodwill gesture by FIFA as a result of the written request by the Ghanaian Sports Minister last week and followed by a visit to FIFA headquarters by African football legend Abedi Ayew Pele.

Mr Jerome Valcke is expected to fly directly from Rio in Brazil to meet the Ghanaian delegation which also incudes CAF/FIFA Coordinator Anthony Baffoe, GFA Communications Director Ibrahim Sanie Daara and Special Advisor to the Minister Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah.

The nine paragraph letter sought clarity on security guarantees made by the Egyptian Football Association to FIFA which was then forwarded to Ghana in respect to the World Cup qualifier between Egypt and Ghana in Cairo.

FIFA's prompt response to Ghana's request was summarised with a confirmation for the meeting.

A change in venue is highly unlikely at this stage considering the assurances by Cairo assuring team Ghana and their supporters of total safety when they make the journey to Cairo for the match.

It was based on these assurances that FIFA confirmed Cairo's Air Defence Stadium as the venue for the 19th November clash.

Ghana will qualify to Brazil if they avoid a 5-0 defeat or a loss by an identical 6-1 score line which would take the tie to penalties.

The Egyptians who have vowed to pay back what the West African dished out to them in the first leg, have refused to comment on reports that each player has been promised 1 Million US dollars should they qualify for the World Cup.