Ghana should withdraw from 2027 AFCON

Football analyst Kojo Addae Mensah has proposed that Ghana consider withdrawing from the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, citing concerns about the limited time available to appoint and prepare a new head coach.

His suggestion follows the departure of Carlos Queiroz, with the Black Stars scheduled to face Somalia on November 11. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) therefore has about six weeks to appoint a new coach and get the team ready for the fixture.

The GFA has constituted a five-member technical search committee tasked with identifying and recommending a suitable replacement for Queiroz.

However, speaking on Luv FM, Addae Mensah questioned whether the process could be completed effectively within the available timeframe. He noted that the situation could become more complicated if the preferred candidate is currently contracted to another club or national team and is required to serve a notice period before taking up a new role.

He also pointed to the financial considerations involved in hiring a new coach, suggesting that the available budget could have a major bearing on the GFA’s final choice.

According to him, Ghana’s next qualifier is only about six weeks away, yet discussions about a replacement have not sufficiently addressed the financial resources required to secure one.

Addae Mensah further argued that even if a new coach is appointed by late October, the coach would have very little time to work with the players before the Somalia match.

He said the incoming coach could have barely a week with the squad before being expected to take charge of the crucial fixture.

Against this backdrop, Addae Mensah said he had even considered the drastic option of Ghana withdrawing entirely from the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, arguing that the team’s current situation makes qualification highly unlikely.

The Black Stars are currently without a win after two matches in Group C, having suffered defeats to The Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire. The results leave Ghana at the bottom of the group.