Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston believes the Black Stars face a difficult task in their bid to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), insisting that it will take a miracle for the country to secure a place at the tournament.
Kingston expressed his concerns about Ghana’s qualification prospects in an interview with 3Sports, where he delivered a blunt assessment of the national team’s situation following a disappointing start to their qualifying campaign.
“It’ll be a miracle for Ghana to qualify to the 2027 AFCON,” Kingston said, as quoted by 3Sports on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
His comments reflect growing concerns over the Black Stars’ recent performances and the pressure facing the team as they attempt to keep their hopes of reaching the continental showpiece alive.
Ghana’s qualification campaign has been thrown into serious doubt after a difficult opening to the qualifiers. The Black Stars have suffered defeats against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, leaving them without a point and facing an uphill battle in their quest to secure a place at the tournament.
The results have raised questions about the team’s competitiveness, defensive organisation and ability to respond positively when under pressure. The defeat against The Gambia has been particularly damaging, with Ghana surrendering a two-goal advantage before losing 4-2 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The result followed a 2-0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire, leaving the four-time African champions in a precarious position in the qualifying group. With their early setbacks placing them under pressure, the Black Stars now have little room for further mistakes if they are to revive their campaign.
Kingston’s assessment highlights the scale of the challenge confronting Ghana. Although qualification remains the ultimate objective, the team will need a significant improvement in performance and results to overcome the damage caused by their opening defeats.
The Black Stars must demonstrate greater consistency, improve their defensive resilience and become more effective in front of goal if they are to stand any realistic chance of recovering from their disappointing start.
Beyond the immediate concern about qualification, Ghana’s situation has also intensified scrutiny of the technical direction of the national team and the broader preparations for upcoming international competitions. Supporters will expect the players and technical team to respond with urgency as the campaign progresses.
For a country with Ghana’s rich AFCON history, the possibility of missing another edition of the tournament would represent a major setback. The Black Stars have won the continental title four times, but their recent struggles have raised questions about their ability to return to the level expected of one of Africa’s traditionally successful football nations.
Kingston’s remarks therefore serve as a stark warning about the seriousness of the situation. The former winger believes the qualification task is so demanding that Ghana would need something extraordinary to turn its fortunes around.
The Black Stars will now have to focus on securing maximum points from their remaining fixtures while hoping that results elsewhere in the group leave the door open for a late recovery.
With qualification hopes hanging in the balance, the pressure is on the team to prove that their difficult start will not determine the outcome of the entire campaign.
He spoke to 3Sports.
