The Ghana Football Association and Carlos Queiroz have mutually agreed to terminate the Portuguese coach’s service agreement as head coach of the Black Stars. The GFA described the decision as one reached after discussions held in the interests of Ghana, the national team and Ghanaian football.
The official announcement does not describe the decision as a unilateral dismissal. It says both sides agreed that ending the professional relationship was the most appropriate course under the circumstances. The GFA thanked Queiroz and his technical staff and said it would announce the next technical arrangements in due course.
What the GFA confirmed
The GFA’s statement confirms the end of Queiroz’s latest spell in charge, but it does not name his replacement or publish a shortlist. It also does not announce who will lead the Black Stars in the next international window. Those details remain for a later communication from the association and the Sports Ministry.
Queiroz had been given a new mandate in September after his earlier World Cup assignment ended. The GFA’s reappointment announcement pointed to his international experience, technical knowledge and familiarity with the Black Stars as reasons for continuing the relationship. The new agreement therefore lasted only a short time before the two sides decided to separate.
The results that changed the situation
The decision came after Ghana’s difficult start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. Reports on the opening fixtures said the Black Stars lost 2–0 to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké and then lost 4–2 to The Gambia in Accra after taking a two-goal lead.
Those results left Ghana under immediate pressure at the start of the qualifying programme. They also shifted the conversation from preparation for the next phase of the national team to the question of whether the coaching structure could continue. The official GFA statement did not assign blame for the results, but its timing places the termination directly within that unsettled period.
What happens to the coaching process
The vacancy now has to be handled alongside wider questions about Ghana’s football administration. The Sports Ministry has proposed changes to the national-team structure, including a technical management committee and consultation before the next Black Stars coach is appointed. Separately, the GFA and ministry have announced a five-member search committee to identify, assess and recommend a candidate.
That means the next appointment should not be reported as complete until the responsible authorities make a formal announcement. A name circulating in the media is not the same as a signed contract, and a search committee’s recommendation is not the final appointment. The process will be easier to assess if the authorities explain the criteria, timeline and role of the proposed technical structures.
Queiroz’s Ghana record should be read carefully
The end of the agreement does not erase the work completed during Queiroz’s tenure. The GFA credited him with helping prepare the team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. CAF also described his Ghana spell as including the country’s return to the World Cup knockout stage, but the immediate competitive results after the tournament created a different evaluation of the next phase.
Both points can be true: a coach can deliver a significant tournament milestone and still leave when the next campaign begins badly. The responsible account is to separate the confirmed achievements, the recent results and the administrative decision to end the contract rather than turn the change into a claim about one match or one individual.
For now, the confirmed development is that Queiroz is no longer Ghana’s head coach by mutual agreement. The next important update will be the technical arrangement announced by the GFA and the ministry, followed by the identity of the coach formally appointed to lead the Black Stars.
