Carlos Queiroz has stepped down as the head coach of Ghana’s national football team, ending a brief second stint in charge just weeks after his September 2 reappointment. The decision follows a dismal start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign, leaving the four-time continental champions at the bottom of Group C with zero points from two matches.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed on Thursday that the departure was reached by mutual agreement. In a statement released through the federation, the 73-year-old Portuguese coach acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, noting that the professional relationship was no longer tenable. Queiroz remarked that the necessary conditions for success were not established and cited the team’s recent performance as a primary factor in concluding the tenure. According to the Ghana Football Association, On Thursday it had mutually agreed with the veteran Portuguese coach to terminate his contract, barely a month after reappointing him for a new mandate.
Pressure mounted following a stinging 4-2 home defeat to Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium. Despite holding a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan, the Black Stars collapsed defensively, allowing Gambia to mount a four-goal turnaround. This loss compounded a difficult start, which included a previous 2-0 away loss to Ivory Coast.
Queiroz concludes this latest spell with a challenging record, having recorded only one win, two draws, and four losses across seven matches in total, during which the team scored five goals while conceding ten. His initial arrival in April was defined by a short-term contract aimed at the 2026 World Cup, where he successfully guided the side to the knockout stages for the first time since 2010. That campaign included a notable victory over Panama and a draw with England, though they were ultimately eliminated 1-0 by Colombia in the round of 32. Two draws and four defeats in seven matches, with Ghana scoring five goals and conceding 10, queiroz leaves with a poor record of one win.
The national team now faces a significant uphill battle to secure a spot in the upcoming AFCON tournament, trailing leaders Ivory Coast and Gambia by six points. With only the top two teams from each group progressing, the GFA faces an urgent search for stability to salvage Ghana’s qualifying prospects after two consecutive losses.
