- Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has admitted that a lack of cohesion and tactical understanding affected Ghana’s performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- The Black Stars ended their campaign in the Round of 32 after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia, with Jhon Arias scoring the only goal of the game to end Ghana’s hopes of reaching the last 16.
Ghana’s tournament began on a positive note after securing a 1-0 victory over Panama before holding England to a goalless draw in their second Group L fixture. However, a 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final group match saw the four-time African champions progress as one of the best third-placed teams before eventually bowing out against Colombia.
Speaking to Joy News, Kofi Adams acknowledged that while Ghana possessed talented players, the team lacked the level of coordination and familiarity displayed by some of the tournament’s stronger nations.
According to the Sports Minister, the difference between Ghana and the top teams was not necessarily individual quality but rather preparation, continuity and players’ understanding of each other’s movements.
“When you are coming against teams that have had the opportunity to prepare very well and have managements that have been with them for a longer time, teams that may have players who have played together at club level for many years, their understanding becomes stronger,” Adams explained.
He added that Ghana struggled to develop the same chemistry, especially when compared to opponents who had established partnerships across different areas of the pitch.
“Sometimes, when one player picks the ball and is moving, you can see two or three other players moving into spaces where he can play the ball for them to take advantage. We didn’t seem to have that character,” he said.
Despite the disappointment of elimination, Adams insisted that there were encouraging signs from Ghana’s World Cup campaign.
He highlighted the opening victory over Panama as an important moment that boosted the team’s confidence, while also praising the Black Stars’ disciplined display in their goalless draw against England.
Adams argued that Ghana matched the Three Lions, who entered the tournament among the favourites, and claimed the Black Stars were unfortunate not to benefit from key refereeing decisions.
“We came against England and showed a certain class and blocked all their movement. It was a game where many people thought Ghana was cheated,” he said.
“We had a clear penalty that was not given, and there was another situation where an English player should have been shown a red card.”
The Minister believes the World Cup experience will provide valuable lessons as Ghana begins preparations for future competitions.
The Black Stars will now shift focus to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they have been drawn in Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia and The Gambia.
