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The Ghana Football Association maintains that the recent growth of the Black Stars technical team is a strategic investment in the development of the national team and has denied claims that it is an unneeded financial burden.

Following public outcry over the hiring of five more backroom employees to assist head coach Otto Addo in front of impending international assignments and FIFA World Cup preparations in 2026, the FA took this stance.

The goal of the enhancements is to improve critical operational areas such as match analysis, coaching support, performance tracking, and medical services.

GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum brushed off accusations that the new hires are a waste of money, emphasizing that the organization is still committed to making the senior national team more competitive.

“It is unfortunate for anyone to describe this as a waste of money. That has never been the goal of the FA,” he said.

The appointments form part of broader efforts by the football governing body to address technical and performance gaps identified in recent campaigns.

Twum expressed confidence that the benefits of the expanded technical team would become evident with time, urging stakeholders and supporters to remain patient as the changes take effect.

“In time, everyone will testify to the impact these additions will have on our progress,” Twum told Akoma FM.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced the appointment of five experienced professionals to reinforce the Black Stars’ technical setup ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

The strategic move, carried out in collaboration with key stakeholders, is aimed at improving Ghana’s competitiveness and ensuring a well-structured technical team as preparations intensify for the tournament, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

French coach Alain Ravera has been appointed Assistant Coach. Ravera brings international experience, having previously worked with the Guinea national team and French top-flight side AS Monaco.

He will work alongside Kim Lars Björkegren, Head Coach of the Black Queens, who has also been named Assistant Coach. The Swedish tactician guided the Black Queens to a bronze medal at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and has secured qualification for the 2026 WAFCON.

To boost scouting, match preparation and performance analysis, the GFA has added Spanish tactician José Daniel Martínez Alfonso to the technical team. Martínez Alfonso currently serves as an assistant coach and video analyst with Major League Soccer club Atlanta FC.

The medical department has been reinforced with the return of Carlos Lozano Romero as Team Physiotherapist. Lozano previously worked with the Black Stars during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, ensuring continuity and familiarity with the team’s environment.

Completing the new appointments is British-born Ghanaian performance expert Dwayne Peasah Paa Kwesi, who takes up the role of Performance Coach. His duties will focus on physical conditioning, player optimisation and overall performance management throughout the World Cup campaign.

The GFA confirmed that the appointments are exclusively for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in line with its long-standing tradition of expanding the Black Stars’ technical team for major international tournaments.

All five professionals will work alongside the existing technical staff led by Head Coach Otto Addo, as Ghana steps up preparations with the goal of making a strong impact on the world stage.

The Ghana Football School has announced that Laryea Kingston and John Paintsil, two former Ghana internationals, are among the first group of participants chosen for the CAF Licence A Coaching Course.

Paintsil, an assistant coach for the Black Stars, and Kingston, who presently oversees youth football development in Uganda, will both participate in the CAF Licence A course, which is the first to be offered in Ghana in almost ten years, with the previous edition taking place prior to 2018.

The two former Black Stars players are in charge of a varied group of seasoned and up-and-coming coaches who will receive advanced technical and tactical training in accordance with the Confederation of African Football’s requirements as part of the CAF Licence A program.

The CAF Licence A qualification is a key requirement for coaches seeking to work at the highest levels of club and national team football across Africa. It is regarded as a major step in professional coaching development.

Other participants selected for the first batch include Emmanuel Mensah, Abega Wilson, Dora Zutah, Winfred Dormom, Godwin Attram, Sadique Abubakar, Seth Osei, Enoch Daitey, Isaac Amarh, Sandra Boakye, Welbeck Oppong, Mohammed Hamza Obeng, Henry Wellington, Bernice Adutwumwaa, Anita Wiredu, Hamza Mohammed, Yakubu Mohammed, and Joseph Agyemang Jr.

Ghana Premier League supporters are shocked by goalie Lawrence Osei’s “unannounced” journey to the United States during the season.

After obtaining his travel visa to the North American country, the Heart of Lions goalie allegedly left camp without authorization to travel to the US.

Last year, Osei agreed to a new contract with the Kpando-based team that will keep him there until 2027.

Heart of Lions goalie Lawrence Osei ditches career to 'chase dream' in USA

The goalie, however, revealed on social media that he left home to pursue his passion. “Left home with a dream, now chasing it,” he wrote on TikTok in a video that chronicles his journey from Ghana to his current location.

Although his departure does not link him to any club abroad, it is believed Osei has hanged up his gloves to pursue the American dream.

Osei has been one of the best shot-stoppers in the domestic league, and was part of Ghana’s home-based side the Black Galaxies.

The talented goalkeeper travelled with the Black Galaxies to South Africa for a friendly with Bafana Bafana in December 2025, as Ghana lost 1-0 to the AFCON 2025 team.

Heart of Lions are yet to release a statement on the whereabouts of their goalkeeper, who missed a number of games before leaving Ghana, but fans of the club have been left in a state of doubt.

Moroccan FA to petition CAF for postponement of 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

According to Africasoccer.com, the Moroccan Football Federation is requesting that the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations be postponed due to numerous obligations.

From March 17 to April 3, 2026, the North African nation will host the CAF’s premier women’s competition. Sixteen nations will compete for the coveted trophy.

With the host country scheduled to make a formal appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on a number of urgent problems, the tournament might potentially be postponed.

Due to numerous obligations, including the requirement to complete the Moroccan league by May 15, 2026, in time for the 2026 World Cup, the Moroccan FA decided to request a postponement of the tournament.

In addition, the Moroccan football governing body intends to concentrate on the Atlas Lions’ preparations for the international tournament that will take place in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

After failing to achieve automatic qualification, Egypt, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Mali were invited to participate in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament, which will include 16 teams for the first time.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria are the record holders of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, winning the title ten times. They won the previous edition and will be hoping to defend the title in the North African country.

Below are the WAFCON Group pairings:

Group A: Morocco – Algeria – Senegal – Kenya.

Group B: South Africa – Ivory Coast – Burkina Faso – Tanzania.

Group C: Nigeria – Zambia – Egypt – Malawi.

Group D: Ghana – Cameroon – Mali – Cape Verde.

As the Black Stars prepare for the 2026 World Cup event, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, in-form Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo has voiced excitement about the team’s prospects.

At the world championship, the West African football powerhouses are placed in Group L with European powerhouses England, 2018 finalists Croatia, and Panama.

On June 17 in Toronto, the Black Stars will play their first World Cup match against Panama. On June 23 in Boston, they will play England. On June 27, Ghana will play their last group match against Croatia, the 2018 finalists, in Philadelphia.

The top-performing Ghanaian player, Semenyo, has confirmed that the Black Stars can contend with the top players in the competition.

“We want to show people around the world that Ghana is one of the top nations and we can compete with the best,” Semenyo told CBS Sports.

Amid some light-hearted banter between Semenyo and his England-based counterparts, the Ghanaian attacker has expressed belief in his outfit to upset England at the mundial.

“There’s been a bit of small talk [with English players], but as Ghanaians, we know it’s going to be a bit of a challenge,” he admitted. “They are a star-studded team. They have so many top-class players, but we believe in ourselves.”

The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded 48-team format, giving Africa a record nine automatic slots, with Ghana no exception.

It will be Ghana’s fifth World Cup appearance, having previously competed in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2022, with their best performance coming in 2010 when they reached the quarterfinals.

John Paintsil, the Black Stars’ assistant coach, has hinted that there will be surprises when Ghana’s 2026 World Cup team is revealed.

This summer, the senior national team will represent the United States, Canada, and Mexico in a tournament.

Paintsil has indicated that both domestic and foreign players are being considered for selection, with the tournament’s final squad anticipated to be announced on June 1.

“For the Black Stars’ World Cup team, we are concentrating on both domestic and foreign players. There will be many surprises, but all Ghanaians who are eligible to play are welcome. Paintsil informed Asempa FM.

As part of their preparations, the team will regroup in March for international friendlies against Austria and Germany.

Ghana has been drawn into Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia. The Black Stars will kick off their campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, face England in Boston, and conclude the group stage against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.

Having exited at the group stage in their previous World Cup appearances in Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, the Black Stars are determined to make a stronger showing on football’s biggest stage in 2026.

Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has arrived in Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region, to formally start his four-day working visit to the three football regions in Northern Ghana.

On Monday morning, the GFA President landed at the Wa Airport, initiating a series of high-level meetings intended to improve stakeholder ties and promote football development throughout the northern corridor.

Alhaji Sadugu Yahaya, the chairman of the Upper West Regional Football Association, and his executives greeted him upon his arrival.

President Simeon-Okraku will have strategic talks with the Upper West Regional Football Association’s chairman, Alhaji Daudi Sadugu Yahaya, when he is in Wa.

He is also scheduled to meet club owners and administrators from the various football divisions in the region, providing a platform to assess challenges, share ideas and explore opportunities for sustainable growth.

As part of the visit, the GFA President will pay a courtesy call on the Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing, Esq, to deliberate on matters of mutual interest, including collaboration between government and football authorities in the development of the game at the regional level.

President Kurt Edwin Simeon- Okraku arrives in Wa to begin four-day Northern football engagement tour

Beyond the scheduled stakeholder engagements, the President will also undertake inspection visits to ongoing GFA projects in the region, aimed at evaluating progress and ensuring they align with the Football Association’s long-term development vision. His itinerary includes stops at the Malik Jabir Stadium and the newly constructed B.K. Adama Park.

President Simeon-Okraku will round off his engagements in Wa with a traditional visit to the Wa-Naa and the Overlord of the Waala Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty Alhaji Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo VI, to pay homage and reaffirm the GFA’s respect for traditional leadership in community and youth development.

President Kurt Edwin Simeon- Okraku arrives in Wa to begin four-day Northern football engagement tour

Following the Upper West leg of the tour, the GFA President and his entourage will make a stop in Tumu before proceeding to the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga, where similar stakeholder engagements with football administrators and club officials are scheduled.

The Northern tour will conclude in Tamale, with President Simeon-Okraku expected to complete the series of consultations with the Northern Regional Football Association and key football stakeholders, reinforcing the GFA’s commitment to inclusive engagement, grassroots development, and nationwide football progress.

President Kurt Edwin Simeon- Okraku arrives in Wa to begin four-day Northern football engagement tour

Just hours before Villarreal’s UEFA Champions League matchup with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, Black Stars coach Otto Addo spoke with deputy captain Thomas Partey. The conversations were positive, with Otto underlining the need for players to keep their shape for the World Cup.

In the 46th minute of Villarreal’s 3-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena, Georges Mikautadze took Thomas Partey’s place. Addo has been keeping an eye on Ghanaian athletes, most recently traveling to Spain to observe Kwasi Sibo, Abdul Mumin, and other players.

The reason why Otto Addo held a meeting with Thomas Partey ahead of the World Cup

He has also checked up on Mohammed Kudus, Tariq Lamptey, Jordan Ayew, and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku. These visits aim to foster team cohesiveness and togetherness ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States of America.

Ghana’s Group L opponents are Panama, England, and Croatia. The Black Stars World Cup campaign kicks off against Panama on June 17, followed by England (June 23) and Croatia (June 27). Ghana will play Austria and Germany in March as warm-up matches for the World Cup in June.

In order to maximize forward Antoine Semenyo’s effect on the national team, former Ghanaian international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has directly pleaded with Black Stars coach Otto Addo to use Semenyo on the wing rather than as a central striker.

Speaking on Akoma FM in Kumasi, Agyemang-Badu said that Ghana is playing the Manchester City player out of position. “Semenyo is not a natural number 9, and we should stop forcing him into that role,” the former midfielder said. “He is more effective on the wings, just as Manchester City are currently using him.”

His comments come as Semenyo enjoys a spectacular start to his career at Manchester City. Since his high-profile £65 million move from Bournemouth in January, the 25-year-old has scored three goals and provided one assist in his first four appearances, quickly becoming a key player for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Agyemang-Badu emphasized that Semenyo’s current form and preferred role at his club should dictate his position for Ghana, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon. “He is our poster boy at the moment, and the coach must play him in his preferred position so we can get the very best out of him,” Agyemang-Badu stressed.

“Playing Semenyo on the wings, rather than as a central striker, will allow him to reach his full potential and give the Black Stars an attacking edge in critical matches.”

The former Udinese star’s contribution adds his respected voice to the tactical conversation around the Black Stars, arguing that maximizing Semenyo’s role could be essential to Ghana’s success as they prepare for the global championship in North America.