Ghana’s Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has given the clearest deadline yet for ending the Black Stars’ coaching vacancy, saying an appointment will be made by Monday, April 13, at the latest, with negotiations now in their closing stages.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Upside Down show, Adams revealed that discussions are in their final stages, with only a few candidates remaining to be engaged before a decision is reached. “Hopefully, if by this weekend we don’t announce the coach, latest by Monday we should be able to announce our new coach. We’ve come very far. They still have just a few more to talk to. Between Friday and Monday, we should be able to let you know,” he said.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) dismissed Otto Addo with immediate effect just 72 days before Ghana’s opening World Cup match, following successive heavy defeats to Austria and Germany during the March international break. Addo’s second spell in charge produced 8 wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats across 22 matches, and was marked by Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the country’s first absence from the tournament in 21 years.
Sources indicate the GFA’s shortlist includes Carlos Queiroz, Fernando Santos, and Paulo Bento, all of whom bring significant international coaching experience. Queiroz has managed several national teams including Portugal and Iran, Santos led Portugal to the 2016 European Championship, and Bento is known for his structured, possession-based approach from his time with South Korea.
The Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council convened on Friday, April 10, in an emergency meeting to advance the appointment process, with all members present to assess candidates on the basis of tactics, player management, African football experience, and elite pedigree.
The urgency surrounding the appointment is heightened by the proximity of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with less than 70 days remaining before Ghana’s campaign begins. The Black Stars open their Group L campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, followed by England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27. Preparatory friendlies against Mexico and Wales in May now loom with the head coach position still vacant.
Adams expressed confidence the incoming coach will have adequate time to shape the squad. “The new coach will have ample time to build a solid squad and strategy for the World Cup,” he said.
