The Ghana Football Association (GFA) faces mounting pressure to address the country's football crisis, which has led to the exit of another Black Stars coach, Carlos Queiroz. The 4-2 loss to The Gambia and Queiroz's subsequent departure have highlighted a deeper crisis of governance, accountability, and football development. The GFA and government must now confront fundamental questions about who is accountable for the decline and what reforms are needed to restore integrity, competitiveness, and public trust.
The GFA's decision-making Executive Council met with Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams to discuss a roadmap for rescuing the Black Stars and addressing the wider decline of Ghanaian football. However, changing another coach cannot become the default response to structural failure. Ghana have fallen from regular AFCON semi-finalists to consecutive group-stage exits and failed to qualify for the 2025 tournament. The anger has produced calls for GFA President Kurt Simeon-Okraku's resignation or even dissolution of the FA structure.
Queiroz's departure by mutual agreement was predictable after two straight losses, but it does not answer the deeper questions. The Portuguese coach suggested that coaching changes alone would not address Ghana's football problems. In seven years under the current FA leadership, six coaches have taken charge, roughly one per year, without sustained success despite substantial investment. This record strengthens the argument that coaching is only part of the problem.
There have been allegations that elements within the FA leadership, including Simeon-Okraku, have influenced player selections or promoted personal interests. Those claims require evidence, due process, and direct institutional answers. The government and GFA have agreed to form a joint committee to search for Queiroz's successor, with greater state involvement in national teams funded by public money.
The crisis extends beyond the Black Stars, with the Black Starlets, Black Satellites, Black Meteors, and the CHAN team struggling to qualify consistently for major continental competitions. At club level, Ghanaian clubs, once formidable on the continent, now routinely struggle to reach group stages. The domestic game has also lost much of its role as a reliable talent pipeline.
The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) wants a comprehensive review of national-team management, clear accountability at every level, transparent and merit-based appointment of coaches, and a serious revival of the domestic league as the foundation for player development. The government should exercise firmer supervision over the national teams it funds, without crossing into unlawful interference or operational micromanagement.
To restore integrity, confidence, and order to the governance structure, the GFA must open the system to scrutiny, rebuild the domestic game, and bring even fierce critics into a credible reform process. Without that institutional reset, another coaching change will only postpone the reckoning. The Gambia defeat was a warning that Ghana football has reached a crossroads, requiring a fundamental shift towards accountability, reform, and a long-term vision.
Key points
- The GFA and government must address the deeper crisis of governance, accountability, and football development.
- Changing another coach cannot become the default response to structural failure.
- A comprehensive review of national-team management and clear accountability at every level are necessary to restore integrity and competitiveness.
