Carlos Queiroz has become the latest Black Stars coach to leave his post under Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku, extending a cycle of changes in the technical leadership of the national team.
The GFA and Queiroz mutually agreed to terminate his contract on Thursday, October 1, 2026, following Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Queiroz had only returned to the Black Stars in September after his initial four-month mandate, which covered Ghana’s participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
His departure means the Black Stars have now gone through seven coaching spells involving six different coaches since Okraku became GFA president in October 2019. James Kwesi Appiah was the first, with his contract expiring at the end of 2019.
He was replaced by former Black Stars captain C.K. Akonnor in January 2020. Akonnor was dismissed in September 2021 after Ghana’s 1-0 defeat to South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The GFA then brought back Milovan Rajevac for a second spell, but the Serbian was dismissed in January 2022 following Ghana’s group-stage elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Otto Addo took over and guided Ghana to the 2022 World Cup before leaving after the tournament.
Chris Hughton was appointed in February 2023 but was dismissed less than a year later following Ghana’s group-stage exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Otto Addo returned for a second spell in March 2024 before the GFA parted ways with him in March 2026 after Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON.
Carlos Queiroz was appointed the following month on a four-month contract to lead Ghana at the 2026 World Cup. Although that mandate ended after the tournament, the GFA reached a new agreement with him in September.
That second spell lasted only weeks, with both parties agreeing to terminate the contract after Ghana’s defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The latest coaching change has renewed questions about the GFA’s approach to the Black Stars.
Chairman of Parliament’s Select Committee on Sports, Ernest Henry Norgbey, says changing coaches will not address the underlying problems confronting Ghana football.
He has called for broader reforms to the governance of Ghana football, arguing that repeatedly changing coaches risks treating the symptoms rather than the underlying issues.
With Queiroz now gone, the GFA faces another decision on the technical direction of the Black Stars, amid renewed calls for greater stability and broader reforms within Ghana football.
