Ghana part ways with Queiroz after AFCON qualifying collapse

Carlos Queiroz has left his position as Ghana coach after the team’s 4-2 home defeat by Gambia intensified pressure on the Black Stars. The Ghana Football Association said on Thursday that it had agreed with the Portuguese coach to end his contract by mutual consent. The decision came only about a month after Queiroz was reappointed for a new mandate.

In a message published on the association’s website, he said ending the relationship was considered the most appropriate course under the circumstances and that Ghanaian football’s interests had guided the decision. Queiroz also said the necessary conditions for continuing had not been fully established, while the team’s recent performance contributed to the decision. Ghana had led Gambia 2-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium through goals by Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan, but conceded four times after the interval.

The defeat followed a 2-0 loss away to Ivory Coast. Ghana are bottom of Group C without a point after two matches, while Ivory Coast and Gambia are six points ahead. With only the top two teams in the four-team group qualifying, the Black Stars face a difficult route to the next Africa Cup of Nations.

Queiroz leaves with one win, two draws and four defeats from seven matches. Ghana scored five goals and conceded 10 during that period. His latest spell began in April, when he signed a four-month contract linked to the 2026 World Cup.

He had guided Ghana to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2010, after a win over Panama and a draw with England. Colombia then eliminated Ghana 1-0. The GFA now faces another search for a coach as it seeks stability during a difficult qualifying campaign.