Kwesi Nyantakyi, former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has publicly criticized the current GFA administration under Kurt Okraku, accusing it of failing to elevate Ghana’s football, especially the Black Stars, to the desired international standards. Nyantakyi’s criticism comes after a series of disappointing performances by the Black Stars, which have seen the team fail to progress beyond the group stages in major tournaments. Under Okraku’s leadership, Ghana’s national team faced historic setbacks at the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), managing no victories and failing to make it past the group stage in both tournaments. Additionally, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Black Stars managed only one win against two losses, resulting in another early exit from the competition.
The situation for the Black Stars worsened with their failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending their qualification campaign at the bottom of Group F without securing a win—a rare occurrence for the team that had not missed an AFCON in 20 years. Nyantakyi pointed to this as evidence of deeper issues within the GFA and expressed frustration with the administration’s inability to address these challenges. “Football is like pregnancy, and we can all see that all is not well with our game,” Nyantakyi stated, stressing the lack of progress and the evident struggles under Okraku’s tenure. The frequent changes in the coaching setup—five head coaches appointed in the last five years—only highlighted the instability and the administration’s lack of a clear direction for the future.
Looking ahead, Nyantakyi urged the GFA to adopt a more structured approach to development, emphasizing the need for stability within the coaching staff and a long-term plan to rebuild the Black Stars’ image. As the team prepares for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, facing Chad and Madagascar in March 2025, Nyantakyi stressed the importance of making significant changes to ensure better performances and restore Ghana’s football legacy. The path forward, he suggested, should involve careful selection of dedicated players, a well-thought-out strategy for coaching and development, and a commitment to nurturing talent from the grassroots level to the senior national team. Without these changes, he warned, the Black Stars may continue to struggle on the international stage.
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