The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has clarified that it has no direct involvement in the selection process for the next head coach of the senior national team, the Black Stars, insisting that the committee tasked with the recruitment process has the competence to carry out its responsibilities.
The GFA’s Communications Director, Henry Asante Twum, made the position clear during an appearance on Akoma Sports on October 19, 2026, stressing that the search committee has the necessary expertise to identify a suitable candidate to lead the national team.
“The GFA has no hand in the selection process for the next Black Stars coach,” Asante Twum stated, adding that “the search committee has the competence to do their work.”
His comments come amid growing attention surrounding the search for a new Black Stars coach, with expectations high among football stakeholders and supporters that the next appointment will help restore confidence in the national team and improve its performances in international competitions.
The clarification is significant because the recruitment of a new Black Stars coach has become a major issue for Ghanaian football following the departure of Portuguese trainer Carlos Queiroz. The team is seeking new technical leadership after a difficult start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign left the country under pressure to improve its results.
The Black Stars lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké before suffering a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium. The two defeats raised concerns about the team’s competitiveness, tactical organisation and preparedness for upcoming international assignments.
Queiroz’s departure on October 1, 2026, prompted the GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to establish a five-member search committee to identify and recommend a suitable replacement.
The committee is chaired by former GFA Vice-President Fred Pappoe, with former Ghana international Anthony Baffoe, former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, legal practitioner and football administrator Agbesi Dzakpasu, and high-performance specialist Faisal Chibsah serving as members.
The composition of the committee brings together experience in football administration, international football, player development, legal affairs and performance management. Its responsibility is to assess potential candidates and recommend a coach capable of meeting the technical and leadership demands of the Black Stars.
Asante Twum’s remarks appear intended to assure the public that the committee has the capacity to carry out its assignment without undue interference. His emphasis on the panel’s competence also places the spotlight on the committee’s ability to make a well-informed recommendation that serves the long-term interests of Ghanaian football.
However, the GFA and the Sports Ministry remain part of the broader recruitment arrangement. The committee was established jointly by the two institutions and is expected to submit its recommendation to the association.
The recruitment process has also been extended to allow a more comprehensive assessment of candidates. The GFA has indicated that the committee will continue evaluating applicants, conducting interviews and examining candidates’ technical abilities, leadership qualities, cultural suitability and capacity to establish high-performance standards.
Meanwhile, preparations for the Black Stars’ November international fixtures are expected to continue under an interim technical team led by Kim Lars Björkegren, with Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram serving as assistant coaches and Fatawu Dauda as goalkeepers’ coach. The arrangement is intended to maintain continuity while the search for a permanent head coach continues.
For Ghanaian supporters, the central concern remains whether the recruitment process will produce a coach capable of restoring confidence, improving performances and putting the Black Stars back on course in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Asante Twum’s assurance that the search committee has the competence to perform its duties places responsibility on the panel to deliver a recommendation that matches the expectations of the football community. The eventual appointment will be judged not only by the reputation of the successful candidate but also by the quality of the team’s performances and its ability to achieve results in the months ahead.
