Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to focus on rebuilding the Black Stars rather than setting immediate expectations of winning the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Kingston made the remarks following Ghana’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32. The Black Stars’ campaign ended after Jhon Arias scored the decisive first-half goal to send the South Americans into the next stage of the tournament.
Speaking on Joy Prime, the former Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics winger said Ghana’s current squad is not yet strong enough to challenge for the AFCON title, stressing that the national team needs patience, proper planning and sustained development.
“We shouldn’t be thinking about winning the AFCON because we do not have a team.”
Kingston explained that Ghana must adopt a long-term strategy centred on player development, continuity and proper planning to build a competitive national team capable of reclaiming its place among Africa’s elite.
Although Ghana’s World Cup journey ended in the Round of 32, the Black Stars achieved a significant milestone by reaching the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The four-time African champions are now expected to shift their attention to preparations for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers as efforts begin to rebuild the team for future international competitions.
