Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku says the Executive Council was forced to make “tough decisions” following the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The four-time African champions suffered a major setback earlier this year when they missed out on a place at the continental tournament in Morocco, their first absence in over 20 years.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show on Friday, Okraku revealed that the leadership of the GFA had to act decisively to rebuild the team and restore public confidence.
“The Executive Council met and made tough decisions to change things around the Black Stars,” he said.
“We engaged stakeholders before arriving at the final decision, and over time, we have been justified.”
Okraku said the team’s recent performances are proof that the changes were the right ones.
“The Black Stars went through a series of qualifications, and we are scoring goals, which proves that the team has improved. It also shows that we were honest in dealing with the issues,” he added.
The GFA president also accepted personal responsibility for Ghana’s AFCON qualifying failure.
“I owned up after failing to qualify for the AFCON,” he admitted.
Despite the disappointment, the Black Stars have since bounced back strongly, sealing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Ghana will discover their group-stage opponents when the World Cup draw takes place on 5 December in Washington, D.C.
