The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has summoned the leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for a crisis meeting following the Black Stars’ disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The meeting, scheduled for Friday, October 2, 2026, comes amid growing concerns over the national team’s performances after suffering defeats in their opening two Group C matches.
Ghana began the qualifiers with a 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast before surrendering a two-goal advantage to suffer a painful 4-2 defeat against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The back-to-back defeats have left the Black Stars without a point at the bottom of their qualifying group, placing their hopes of reaching the continental tournament under serious pressure.
The disappointing results have intensified public scrutiny of the GFA’s leadership and the broader administration of Ghanaian football, with supporters demanding answers and urgent measures to restore the national team’s competitiveness.
The crisis meeting also comes a day after head coach Carlos Queiroz and the GFA mutually agreed to part ways on Thursday, October 1, 2026, following the team’s disappointing performances.
The Portuguese coach was appointed earlier in the year to lead Ghana through the 2027 AFCON qualifiers and the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
His departure has added another dimension to the challenges facing the Black Stars, with the football authorities now expected to address concerns surrounding the team’s technical direction and preparations for upcoming matches.
Mr Adams, who is also the Member of Parliament for Buem, has called the GFA leadership to the meeting as the government seeks answers concerning the national team’s poor start and the wider state of Ghanaian football.
The discussions are expected to examine the difficulties confronting the Black Stars and explore possible long-term measures to improve the team’s performance and strengthen the country’s football system.
Ghana’s current predicament has revived painful memories of the team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Black Stars finished bottom of their qualifying group for that tournament, bringing an end to more than two decades of consecutive appearances at the continental championship.
With the team now struggling in the 2027 qualifiers, there are renewed concerns that Ghana could miss another major African football tournament if results do not improve.
The four-time African champions will return to action in October for a double-header against Somalia, with both matches scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Those encounters are expected to be crucial to Ghana’s efforts to revive their campaign and keep their qualification hopes alive.
The Black Stars will need positive results in the upcoming matches to recover from their opening setbacks and improve their position in Group C.
Meanwhile, the crisis meeting between the Sports Minister and the GFA leadership is expected to provide an opportunity for both parties to discuss the immediate challenges facing the national team and consider measures to prevent further setbacks.
Ghana’s football authorities are under increasing pressure to respond to the disappointing results, restore confidence among supporters and establish a clear direction for the Black Stars as they prepare for their next qualifying assignments.
