Ghana reached the World Cup knockouts in July. They have no AFCON points, and their women's coach picks the team in November.
Ghana reached the World Cup knockout round in July; four months on they are bottom of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group with no points and no permanent coach, with the women's-team coach in charge for November's two games against Somalia.
Ghana are bottom of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group with no points, four months after reaching the World Cup knockouts. 12
They have no permanent coach either. Carlos Queiroz left on 1 October, and the Ghana Football Association has put its women's-team coach, Kim Björkegren, in charge for November's two games against Somalia. 3
What July looked like
Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in Toronto on 17 June, Caleb Yirenkyi scoring in stoppage time. 4 Six days later they held England to a 0-0 draw in Boston. 5 Croatia beat them 2-1 in Philadelphia, and Ghana went through as one of the best third-placed teams. 6
Colombia ended it 1-0 in Kansas City on 3 July, Jhon Arias scoring from a cross by the substitute Luis Suárez. Ghana did not manage a shot on target; it was their first World Cup knockout match since 2010. 7
Twelve days in September
Queiroz was appointed on 13 April, 72 days before the tournament. 18 He left after Kansas City, was reappointed at the start of September, and this time lasted a month. 1
Côte d'Ivoire beat Ghana 2-0 in Bouaké on 24 September. 9 Five days later Ghana led Gambia 2-0 in Accra and lost 4-2. Queiroz apologised to supporters, and the GFA announced his exit. 1
Ghana are last of the four: Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia have six points, Somalia none with a goal difference of -3, Ghana none with -4. 2
Who takes the job
Björkegren is in charge for the two Somalia games, on 12 and 16 November. 310 Ghanaian media have named Dwight Yorke, Pape Thiaw, Aliou Cissé and Walid Regragui as candidates; the GFA has confirmed no approach. 3
Yorke, who managed Trinidad and Tobago until March, said an agent told him Ghana were interested. "It's a job I'd be interested in, given Ghana's history and the players available," he said. 3
Why it stings
Ghana have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times and reached six straight semifinals between 2008 and 2017. 1 They missed the 2025 edition, their first absence since 2004. 4
Antoine Semenyo, who scored 17 goals for Bournemouth and Manchester City last season, is the main threat. 4 Mohammed Kudus, Tottenham's forward, missed the World Cup with a quad injury, and Ghana missed his creativity in Kansas City. 78
Only the top two qualify, with four matches left. 11 Two wins over Somalia in November would put Ghana back in touch before Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia return in March. Otherwise a team good enough for the World Cup knockouts watches the 2027 finals from home.
Quote of the Day
"You look at the squad and your eyes open even wider." — Dwight Yorke, on the Ghana job 3
References
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