The Black Queens have strengthened their technical team ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with the appointment of Swedish performance analyst James Slaughter as the team’s new Video Analyst.
Slaughter, who hails from Malmö, Sweden, joins the Black Queens after an impressive career with Malmö, one of Sweden’s most successful football clubs and among the biggest in Scandinavia. His journey in performance analysis began at just 16 years old, recording matches before progressing through the ranks to become the club’s Head of Performance Analysis.
Expressing his excitement about joining Ghana, Slaughter described the opportunity as a privilege.
“I love working in football and being part of a team. Representing a country, especially a beautiful country like Ghana, is one of the biggest honours you can have,” he said.
He added that former colleagues who had worked with Ghana’s national teams spoke highly of the country’s football culture, inspiring him to take on the new challenge.
As Video Analyst, Slaughter’s role will be central to the Black Queens’ preparations. He will record all training sessions and matches, helping the coaching staff review performances, identify key learning moments for players, and analyse opponents to develop effective match strategies.
“I help the coaches pick out important clips and situations so we can improve the players, while also studying our opponents to understand their strengths and weaknesses,” he explained.
Working closely with Head Coach Kim Lars Björkegren and assistant coach and performance analyst Ronny, Slaughter believes video analysis can provide the small competitive advantages that often decide closely contested matches.
“In football, the margins are very small. Video analysis is about finding that extra two or three percent that can make the difference. Ultimately, though, it’s the players who win the games.”
With the Black Queens set to face challenging opponents during the group stage, Slaughter acknowledged that gathering information on less familiar teams such as Cape Verde presents its own challenges but described it as an exciting part of the job.
Ahead of WAFCON 2026, the Swedish analyst is fully committed to helping Ghana achieve success.
“We’ll work until the very last percent. We’ll workday and night to make the people of Ghana proud and create good results and unforgettable memories,” he said.
As the Black Queens continue their preparations, Slaughter’s expertise in performance analysis is expected to provide valuable support to the technical team as Ghana aimsG for a successful campaign at the WAFCON 2026.
