- Black Stars Coaching Search Intensifies Ahead of 2027 AFCON Qualifiers
The Ghana Football Association has opened talks to appoint the next head coach of the Black Stars as uncertainty grows over the future of Carlos Queiroz following stalled negotiations over a possible contract extension.
GFA Executive Council member Gideon Fosu confirmed that discussions are ongoing and said the association expects to have a coach in place before Ghana’s next competitive fixtures.
“I think what’s there for Ghanaians to know is that we’ll definitely play Senegal and we have to play the qualifiers, right? What I can say on authority is that we are definitely going to have a coach who is in charge of the team,” Mr Fosu told Citi Sports.
“We are still talking, we are still negotiating. I am sure that at the right time, the president of the FA will announce who the next coach of the Black Stars would be.”
The development follows reports that negotiations with Queiroz have broken down after the Portuguese coach sought improved financial terms and an expanded technical team.
Queiroz was appointed in April on a short-term deal after replacing Otto Addo and subsequently guided Ghana to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. The Black Stars were eliminated after a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in Kansas City.
According to Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams, the 73-year-old former Iran and Egypt coach was earning about US$80,000 a month under his short-term arrangement.
Reports indicate that Queiroz requested a salary increase as part of negotiations to continue in the role.
He is also reported to have asked for additional foreign members to be added to his technical team, with the intention of maintaining continuity and strengthening the structure around the national side.
The failure to conclude those talks has now pushed the GFA towards considering alternatives at a particularly sensitive point in the Black Stars’ calendar.
Ghana are expected to return to competitive action in September for the start of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, leaving the association with limited time to resolve the coaching situation.
The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia.
The campaign carries additional pressure because Ghana failed to qualify for the previous Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, making a successful return to the continental tournament an immediate priority for both the GFA and the next technical team.
That recent history means the choice of coach will be judged against more than short-term results.
Ghana must rebuild consistency following a period of frequent changes around the national team while establishing a clear playing identity capable of delivering qualification and improving performances in major tournaments.
Queiroz’s World Cup spell provided a measure of stability after he took over only months before the tournament, but the reported disagreements over compensation and technical staffing appear to have complicated the possibility of extending the arrangement. The GFA must now decide whether to bridge those differences or move decisively towards another candidate.
A new coach appointed shortly before competitive qualifiers would have limited preparation time with the squad, making familiarity with the players and the structure of Ghanaian football potentially important factors in the selection process. The association will also need to balance technical ambitions with financial considerations.
The reported US$80,000 monthly salary attached to Queiroz’s previous deal already represented a substantial commitment, and any replacement or renewed agreement would need to fit within the financial arrangements surrounding the national team.
For Ghanaian supporters, however, the central issue will be continuity and results. The Black Stars’ qualification failure for the previous AFCON increased scrutiny of the national-team setup, while reaching the knockout stage of the World Cup offered some evidence of improvement.
The next coach will therefore inherit a team with both expectations and unresolved questions.
There is also little margin for an extended recruitment process. The opening AFCON qualifiers will immediately shape Ghana’s chances of reaching the 2027 tournament, while the presence of Côte d’Ivoire in the group adds a demanding regional contest to the campaign.
Mr Fosu’s comments suggest that the GFA is conscious of that urgency. The association has not publicly identified candidates or provided a deadline for the appointment, but its assurance that a coach will be in place before competitive action indicates that negotiations are at an active stage.
The immediate task is therefore to bring clarity to the Black Stars bench before attention shifts fully to qualification.
Whether that ultimately means a renewed agreement with Queiroz or the appointment of a new coach remains unresolved.
What is clear is that Ghana cannot afford prolonged uncertainty. After missing the previous AFCON and exiting the World Cup in the Round of 32, the next appointment will be expected to provide not simply a name on the touchline, but enough stability and direction to take the Black Stars back to the continental stage.
