The Government of Ghana has agreed to pay the remuneration of five additional technical team members appointed to support the Black Stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking a departure from previous practice where only the head coach’s salary was covered by the state.
Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director Henry Asante Twum confirmed the arrangement, explaining that it is temporary and applies only to the duration of the coaches’ engagement with the national team for the World Cup campaign.
The GFA announced on Thursday, February 6, 2026, that it had strengthened the Black Stars’ technical setup with the appointment of five highly experienced professionals as Ghana prepares for the global showpiece to be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
French tactician Alain Ravera has been named Assistant Coach, bringing significant international experience from previous roles with the Guinea national team and AS Monaco. He will work alongside Kim Lars Björkegren, the current head coach of the Black Queens, who has also been appointed Assistant Coach while continuing to lead the women’s national team.
Björkegren guided the Black Queens to a bronze medal finish at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and successfully secured qualification for the 2026 WAFCON, which will be held in Morocco next month. The Swedish tactician will combine both roles during the World Cup period.
Spanish coach José Daniel Martínez Alfonso has been appointed to improve scouting, match preparation and performance analysis. He currently serves as assistant coach and video analyst with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Atlanta United.
The technical setup has also been strengthened with the appointment of Winfried Schäfer as Technical Advisor. The experienced German coach will provide strategic guidance to the team. Belgian psychologist Kris Perquy has been added to support players’ mental preparation, while Belgian analyst Gregory De Grauwe has joined as Video Analyst.
The appointments are strictly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign and follow longstanding GFA practice of expanding the technical team whenever Ghana qualifies for major tournaments. The five professionals will work alongside the existing staff led by Head Coach Otto Addo.
Speaking on Akoma 87.9 FM, Twum defended the decision against criticism that the appointments represent wasteful spending, emphasizing that the expertise brought by the new technical members would enhance Ghana’s competitiveness at the global stage.
The government’s decision to cover salaries for the additional technical staff represents a significant policy shift. In February 2025, Twum stated that apart from the head coach of the Black Stars, none of the coaches of the other national teams were remunerated by the state, with the GFA funding all other technical personnel.
Ghana have been drawn in a challenging group alongside Panama, England and Croatia at the 2026 World Cup. The Black Stars are aiming to surpass their best World Cup finish, the quarter-final appearance at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
The national team is expected to regroup in March for international friendly matches against Austria and Germany as part of preparations for the summer tournament. The appointments signal Ghana’s determination to assemble a comprehensive support structure capable of competing at the highest level.
