Ghana’s Black Stars are on the brink of a new era, with newly appointed head coach Carlos Queiroz expected to arrive in the country this week accompanied by five members of his trusted backroom staff.
The experienced Portuguese tactician, who has signed a short-term deal, steps into the role following the departure of Otto Addo after Ghana’s disappointing back-to-back friendly defeats to Austria and Germany in March.
Queiroz’s appointment is already triggering significant changes behind the scenes. The Ghana Football Association is restructuring the technical setup to accommodate the incoming coach and his team.
Reports indicate that technical advisor and GFA director of football Winfried Schäfer has been relieved of his duties, while high-performance coach John Paintsil has also exited the setup. Further adjustments are expected, with more members of the current technical team likely to make way as Queiroz assembles his preferred structure.
The 73-year-old is scheduled to be officially unveiled shortly after his arrival, marking the formal beginning of his tenure. As part of protocol, he will then be introduced to Sports Minister Kofi Adams.
Attention will quickly shift to preparations on the pitch, with Ghana set to face Mexico and Wales in international friendlies on June 2. These fixtures will serve as crucial tests as the Black Stars fine-tune their approach ahead of the World Cup.
Drawn in Group L, Ghana will open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17, before facing heavyweight opponents England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.
Queiroz brings a wealth of experience to the role, having guided multiple nations on football’s biggest stage. His résumé includes leading South Africa to qualification for the 2002 World Cup, steering Portugal to the knockout rounds in 2010, and managing Iran at both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.
With Ghana aiming to move past the disappointments of early exits in recent editions, the veteran coach is expected to instill discipline, tactical structure, and much-needed stability as the Black Stars prepare for a defining campaign on the global stage.
