Carlos Queiroz has been tasked with guiding Ghana back to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Black Stars missed the previous edition, Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director Henry Asante Twum has revealed.
The 73-year-old Portuguese coach has signed an extension to his contract after leading Ghana to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Queiroz was initially appointed on a four-month deal following the departure of Otto Addo in March, with his original mandate focused primarily on Ghana’s World Cup campaign.
However, following the Black Stars’ progress at the global tournament, the GFA has opted to retain the experienced tactician as the team prepares for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Asante Twum says securing qualification for the continental showpiece is now the immediate priority for Queiroz and his technical team.
“We had discussions before we concluded extending Carlos Queiroz’s contract, but the task is to guide the Black Stars back to the AFCON next year,” Asante Twum told Asempa FM.
“We were not there last year, and we cannot afford to miss out this time around.”
Ghana have been drawn in Group C alongside West African neighbours Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia in the qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars will open their campaign with a difficult away fixture against Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on September 24.
They will then return home three days later to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium as they look to make a strong start to their qualification bid.
Ghana endured a disappointing 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign, failing to secure a place at the tournament in Morocco and ending a run of appearances at the competition that had stretched back to 2004.
Queiroz will therefore be under pressure to ensure the Black Stars return to Africa’s premier football tournament in 2027.
His continued tenure also gives the Portuguese coach an opportunity to build on the momentum generated by Ghana’s World Cup campaign, where the Black Stars reached the knockout stage for the first time since their memorable run in 2010.
