The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has constituted a five-member committee to find a new head coach for the senior national football team, the Black Stars. The committee, chaired by former GFA Vice-President Fred Pappoe, has been given a deadline of Friday, October 9, 2026, to submit its recommendations. This move comes after the departure of Carlos Queiroz, who left the position on October 1, 2026, following a mutual agreement to terminate his contract.
The committee members include former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, former Ghana international and Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) General Secretary Anthony Baffoe, football administrator and legal practitioner Agbesi Dzakpasu, and high-performance specialist Faisal Chibsah. The formation of the committee was announced by the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, in a social media post on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The announcement was made as part of efforts to rebuild confidence in Ghana football.
The search for a new coach comes at a challenging time for the Black Stars, who have lost their opening two matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign. Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire away from home and a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium. These results have left Ghana without a point at the bottom of Group C, which also includes Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, and Somalia.
The team’s recent failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON has added to the pressure on the authorities to appoint a coach capable of improving its fortunes. The next two qualifying matches are scheduled for the November international window, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) setting November 9 to 17, 2026, for Matchdays 3 and 4. The GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation are working to address concerns over the performance and management of the country’s national teams.
Beyond appointing a new coach, the Ministry and the GFA have agreed on measures to address concerns about player development and the management of the national teams. The next Black Stars coach will be required to live in Ghana and regularly monitor the domestic league. The authorities also intend to strengthen the scouting of locally based players and widen the pool of players available for national team selection.
The plans include changes to youth development, with the GFA Technical Directorate expected to work more closely with schools, grassroots programmes, and football academies. A Public Interest Committee is also expected to monitor the implementation of the reforms. According to Minister Adams, the committee’s work is intended to help “rebuild confidence in our football”. The committee’s recommendations are expected by October 9, as the GFA and the Ministry seek a successor to Mr. Queiroz.
The GFA and the Ministry are working together to implement the proposed measures, which aim to improve the performance of the Black Stars. The committee’s report will play a crucial role in identifying a new coach who can lead the team to success. The new coach will be expected to work closely with the GFA and the Ministry to implement the proposed reforms and improve the overall performance of the team.
Key points
- The Ghana Football Association has formed a 5-member committee to find a new coach for the Black Stars.
- The committee has been given a deadline of October 9, 2026, to submit its recommendations.
- The new coach will be required to live in Ghana and regularly monitor the domestic league.
