Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, Dr. Randy Abbey, has admitted that Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was a bitter disappointment but says the team’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has helped ease the pain.
For the first time in over 20 years, the Black Stars missed out on the continental tournament after finishing bottom of their qualifying group with just three points from six matches.
However, the team redeemed themselves by finishing top of Group I in the World Cup qualifiers with 25 points, securing their place at next summer’s global showpiece to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Speaking in an interview with Asempa FM, Dr. Abbey acknowledged that the AFCON failure was a major setback for both the team and the nation.
“The team had disappointed Ghanaians by not qualifying for the AFCON,” he said.
“You can’t cry over spilt milk; you can’t reverse it; you cannot change it. But fortunately, there was another major engagement, and if for nothing at all, the least we could do to make up for that disappointment was to qualify for the World Cup.”
The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held on December 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C., where Ghana will learn their group-stage opponents.
