The Ghana Football Association has taken full responsibility for the Black Stars' disappointing start to the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. With two matches played, Ghana sits at the bottom of Group C without a single point. GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum stated that the association accepts the anger and frustration felt by Ghanaians, acknowledging that they are to blame for the team's poor performance.
The Black Stars' qualifying campaign got off to a bad start with a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast. The situation worsened with a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium, where Ghana led 2-0 at halftime but conceded four unanswered goals. This result has significantly dented the team's qualification hopes for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The GFA's leadership has acknowledged that turning things around will require support from all football stakeholders.
The GFA and Carlos Queiroz, the team's head coach, parted ways by mutual consent on October 1, 2026, ending his spell with the Black Stars. The GFA acknowledged that Queiroz was surprised to discover that the team had no permanent training base, a factor that contributed to the breakdown of his tenure. This revelation raised questions about the structural problems undermining the national team.
In response to Queiroz's exit, the GFA has established a five-member committee to find a new coach. The committee is expected to present its findings to the Sports Ministry by October 9, 2026. This deadline puts pressure on the panel to move quickly, with speculation already surrounding potential candidates. Senegalese tactician Pape Thiaw has been linked as a frontrunner for the job, although no appointment has been confirmed.
The GFA's admission of blame comes amid wider public frustration with the association's leadership. The stakes are high for Ghanaian football fans, as the team's hopes of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations now depend on winning most of their remaining fixtures. Ghana still has four matches left and can collect a maximum of 12 points, making qualification mathematically possible but with far less room for error.
The next test for the Black Stars comes this month, with a double-header against Somalia at the Accra Sports Stadium. Beyond the immediate fixtures, the team aims to end a wait to return to the AFCON stage after missing out on the 2025 tournament held in Morocco. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The GFA's search for a new coach continues, with the five-member committee working to meet the October 9 deadline. While no permanent coach has been named, the association is under pressure to find a suitable replacement before the team's next matches. The committee's process and criteria for evaluating candidates remain unclear, leaving open questions about the road ahead for the Black Stars.
Key points
- The Ghana Football Association takes full responsibility for the Black Stars' poor start to the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.
- The team faces a tough road to qualification, with four remaining matches and a need to win most of them.
- A new coach is being sought, with a five-member committee working to meet an October 9 deadline.
