Carlos Queiroz leaves Ghana after Black Stars’ poor AFCON 2027 start

16:16

Carlos Queiroz has left his position as head coach of Ghana, bringing a short second chapter with the Black Stars to an abrupt end after a difficult start to the country’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Portuguese coach agreed to terminate their working relationship following discussions, with the decision announced after Ghana’s 4-2 home defeat to The Gambia in Accra.

Two defeats leave Ghana under immediate pressure

The departure comes just two matches into Ghana’s Group C qualifying campaign. The Black Stars opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat away to Côte d'Ivoire before suffering an even more damaging setback against The Gambia.

Ghana appeared to be in control at the Accra Sports Stadium after taking a 2-0 lead, but The Gambia produced a remarkable turnaround. The visitors scored four times to complete the comeback and move to six points from their opening two matches, while Ghana remained without a point.

The result placed additional scrutiny on Queiroz, whose immediate task had been to translate Ghana’s progress at the 2026 FIFA World Cup into a successful qualification campaign for the next continental tournament.

A brief return to the Black Stars

Queiroz initially took charge of Ghana in April 2026 and guided the national team at the World Cup. Ghana reached the knockout stage before losing 1-0 to Colombia in the Round of 32.

His first mandate ended after the World Cup, but the GFA opted for continuity. On September 2, the federation announced that Queiroz would remain in charge under a new mandate, with the 2027 AFCON qualifiers becoming his next major challenge.

That continuation proved short-lived. Less than a month after his reappointment, Ghana suffered consecutive qualifying defeats and now faces a difficult task in Group C.

Queiroz cites circumstances surrounding the team

In a statement published by the GFA, Queiroz described the decision to end the partnership as difficult but said both sides considered it the appropriate course under the circumstances.

The Portuguese coach also pointed to the conditions surrounding the team and recent performances as factors behind the decision, while stressing that the interests of Ghanaian football and the Black Stars had taken priority.

His departure leaves the GFA facing another coaching transition at a sensitive stage of the international calendar. The first two AFCON qualifying matchdays have already exposed the scale of the challenge, with Ghana needing to recover ground in a group that also includes Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia.

Ghana now faces a new coaching decision

The Black Stars' next steps will depend on how quickly the GFA can establish a new technical structure and restore stability to a team that only recently completed its World Cup campaign.

The 2027 AFCON finals will be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027. Ghana’s qualifying campaign will resume later in the year, giving the federation time to determine its next coaching appointment and reshape the team’s approach.

For Queiroz, the latest departure marks another short international coaching spell, while for Ghana it opens a new chapter barely weeks after the federation decided to retain the experienced Portuguese coach.