The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has dissolved the Management Committee of the Senior National Team (Black Stars) following their failure to qualify for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025.
The Black Stars concluded their AFCON qualification Group F campaign with only three points, finishing last in the group.
In a press release issued on Thursday, November 21, 2024, the GFA expressed regret over the team’s failure to qualify for the continental tournament for the first time in 21 years.
“The Ghana Football Association (GFA) wishes to express its sincerest apologies to the good people of Ghana for the Black Stars’ inability to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. We understand the disappointment and frustration this failure has caused, and we share in the pain and sadness of our beloved fans. We acknowledge that the team’s performance did not meet the high expectations of the nation, and for that, we are truly sorry.”
Ghana’s failure to qualify for next year’s tournament marks a new low, after successive group stage exits at the tournament.
As part of measures to address this decline, the GFA announced the immediate dissolution of the Black Stars’ Management Committee.
“The Executive Council, at its meeting on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, took the following key decisions:
Immediate dissolution of the Management Committee of the senior national football team, the Black Stars.
We sincerely thank the members of the Committee for their service to Ghana Football over the years.”
“The Executive Council will meet the Head Coach of the Black Stars, Mr. Otto Addo, on November 27, 2024, to discuss his technical report on the just-ended AFCON qualifiers and the overall performance of the technical team since he assumed duty earlier this year.”
In response to widespread calls for reforms, the GFA announced plans to organize a retreat to gather ideas on improving the performance of the Black Stars and Ghanaian football as a whole.
Stakeholders such as SWAG, the media, the National Sports Authority, PFAG, former captains and players, coaches, supporters, football enthusiasts, and sports-related professionals (medics, economists, marketers, etc.), as well as opinion leaders (including traditional rulers), will be invited.
The retreat will take place on November 28, 2024, at the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence. Its primary purpose will be to solicit input from stakeholders to develop a roadmap for enhancing the performance of the Black Stars and other national teams.