GFA President Kurt Okraku Defends Carlos Queiroz’s Tactics Following Black Stars’ 2026 World Cup Exit

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed that head coach Carlos Queiroz will continue to lead the Black Stars as the team shifts its focus toward the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. This confirmation follows Ghana’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the national team reached the knockout stage for the first time since 2010 but was ultimately eliminated in the Round of 32 after a narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia. GFA President Kurt Okraku has defended the manager’s performance, suggesting that Queiroz would have likely selected a different squad if he had been granted more time to evaluate the full range of available Ghanaian talent before the global tournament began.

However, the team’s recent tactical approach has drawn significant criticism from former Black Stars forward Nii Odartey Lamptey. Lamptey expressed significant disappointment with what he described as a lack of offensive quality, noting that the team managed only two goals across four matches during the World Cup. He compared the current squad unfavorably to past World Cup iterations and criticized Queiroz’s pragmatic coaching style as unremarkable. According to Lamptey, the defensive focus has come at the expense of the attacking flair traditionally associated with Ghanaian football, leading to concerns about the team’s trajectory under the Portuguese coach.

Looking ahead, the Black Stars are scheduled to return to action during the September international window, which serves as the starting point for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. Ghana is slated to face Côte d’Ivoire in their opening qualifier, followed by a home match against The Gambia between September 21 and October 6, 2026. To supplement these competitive games, the GFA has also confirmed an international friendly against Tanzania. The Tanzanian side, the Taifa Stars, has already announced its roster for the encounter, including players such as BK Hacken’s Sabri Kondo and newcomer Bernard Kamungo.

As the national team transitions into this new competitive cycle, the focus remains on whether Carlos Queiroz can refine his squad and address the goal-scoring deficiencies highlighted by observers like Lamptey. With the GFA’s backing and a series of high-profile matches on the horizon, the coming months will be crucial for the Black Stars to demonstrate progress. The Ghanaian football community will be watching closely as the squad for the upcoming qualifiers is announced, hoping for a balance between the defensive discipline shown in the World Cup and the offensive creativity required to secure a spot in the next continental tournament.