Ghana sacks Carlos Queiroz after two defeats in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying

Carlos Queiroz is no longer Ghana’s head coach. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) officially confirmed the split with the Portuguese tactician on Thursday, just two days after the Black Stars’ home defeat to Gambia (2-4) in the second match of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

This latest setback followed an initial defeat in Ivory Coast (0-2). With two losses in two matches and zero points on the board in Group C, Ghana already finds itself bottom of the group and under pressure ahead of the next fixtures.

Yet Queiroz had only taken office in April. Initially recruited to guide Ghana through the 2026 World Cup under a four-month contract, he had fulfilled his mission: the Black Stars reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by Colombia. Encouraged by this result, the Federation chose to keep him in place for the next cycle, hoping to capitalize on his international experience and knowledge of the squad.

His second spell lasted only two qualifying matches. In a statement released after the GFA’s official announcement, Queiroz confirmed his departure, saying the decision had been made “in a spirit of mutual respect,” stressing that Ghana’s and the Black Stars’ interests must remain the priority. He also praised his players and encouraged supporters to continue backing the national team despite this difficult period.

The Ghana Football Association must now quickly find a successor. Ghana returns to action in November with a double-header against Somalia, two matches that already look decisive for reviving a campaign that has got off to a poor start.