Carlos Queiroz makes shock return as Ghana coach two months after World Cup exit

Carlos Queiroz has been reappointed as Ghana head coach just two months after resigning in the wake of the Black Stars’ World Cup elimination, the Ghana Football Association confirmed.

The 73-year-old had only taken charge of Ghana two months before the tournament began, stepping in after Otto Addo was sacked following heavy defeats to Austria and Germany in the build-up. Queiroz guided the Black Stars through the group stage — which included a goalless draw with England — before they were knocked out by Colombia in the round of 32.

“The GFA is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with Carlos Queiroz for his appointment as Head Coach of the Black Stars for the next phase of the team’s programme,” the association said in an official statement. “The GFA believes Queiroz’s extensive international experience, technical expertise and knowledge of the Black Stars position him strongly to lead the team into this next chapter.”

The reappointment comes against a difficult backdrop for Ghanaian football. The Black Stars failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations — a significant blow for a nation that has historically been one of the continent’s leading sides. In that context, reaching the knockout rounds of the World Cup under a coach parachuted in at short notice was viewed as a relative success rather than a failure.

Queiroz, who has previously managed Portugal, Iran and Egypt at World Cups, had said on his departure that “success must start off the field, by creating the best possible environment to prepare, protect and develop Ghana’s extraordinary football talent.”

His immediate priority will be steering Ghana through their Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, which begins in September. The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, The Gambia and Somalia — a challenging group that will test whether Queiroz can restore the nation’s standing on the continental stage.

Further details on the new coaching mandate and Ghana’s upcoming programme are expected to be announced by the GFA in due course.