From the Black Stars to the GPL: The biggest problems confronting the GFA

Ghana football has entered another period of uncertainty, with the Ghana Football Association facing questions that go far beyond the latest crisis surrounding the Black Stars. Carlos Queiroz’s short-lived second spell ended after Ghana suffered defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in the opening matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Portuguese coach’s departure has since triggered a fresh search for a Black Stars coach, with the GFA and Sports Ministry also agreeing on a broader roadmap to address problems affecting the country’s football system. But the Black Stars are only one part of the problem. At domestic level, the GFA continues to face questions about the quality and sustainability of the Ghana Premier League. The Association has increased financial support, with each of the 18 clubs receiving GH¢1 million ahead of the 2026/27 season and the league champions set to receive GH¢3 million. The bigger question, however, is whether increased financial injections are solving the fundamental problems confronting clubs. That is significant because these are not new concerns. If the league is to become commercially attractive, simply increasing prize money cannot be the only solution. Infrastructure is another unresolved issue. The GFA approved over 10 venues for the 2026/27 Premier League season, but the continued scrutiny of stadiums and training facilities shows the gap between having a functioning league and having a truly modern football ecosystem. Then comes the most important long-term question: player development. The Sports Ministry and GFA have now agreed to appoint a technical head for youth football, restructure the U15, U17 and U20 pathways, strengthen domestic scouting and link grassroots football more closely with academies and schools. They also want the national technical hub moved to the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence at Prampram. The fact that these measures are now being prioritised raises a difficult question: why have these gaps remained significant enough to require another major restructuring? The GFA has pointed to seven consecutive seasons of uninterrupted domestic competitions, improved broadcasting, increased club funding and governance reforms as evidence of progress. Those achievements matter. But Ghanaian football is ultimately judged not only by whether competitions are organised, but by whether the system produces stronger clubs, better players, sustainable competitions and successful national teams. The current crisis therefore presents the GFA with a much bigger challenge than finding Queiroz’s successor. FKA/AMSource: www.ghanaweb.com
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