2026 World Cup: Afriyie urges Ghanaians to temper expectations on Black Stars
23rd February 2026
Former Ghana Football Association vice-president George Afriyie has called on Ghanaians to temper expectations ahead of the Black Stars’ campaign at the 2026 World Cup.
Ghana, four-time African champions, are preparing for their fifth appearance at football’s biggest tournament, where they have been drawn alongside Panama, England and Croatia in what many observers consider a challenging group. But Afriyie believes excitement must be balanced with realism.
“Ghanaians should temper their expectations for the Black Stars at the World Cup,” he told Asempa FM. “Having more hands on board doesn’t automatically improve the team’s prospects.”
His comments come after the Ghana Football Association announced five new additions to the national team’s technical set-up. Among them are French coach Alain Ravera and Black Queens manager Kim Lars Björkegren as assistant coaches.
Spanish tactician Jose Daniel Martinez Alfonso has been tasked with strengthening scouting and match analysis, while Carlos Lozano Romero returns as physiotherapist after serving with the squad at the 2022 World Cup. British-born Ghanaian performance coach Dwayne Peasah Paa Kwesi completes the revamped backroom staff.
Despite the expanded technical bench, Afriyie insists success will ultimately depend on cohesion, preparation and execution on the pitch rather than the number of personnel behind the scenes.
The Black Stars are expected to regroup in March for international friendlies against Austria and Germany as part of their preparations for the tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Ghana will open their World Cup campaign against Panama on 17 June, face England on 23 June and conclude their group stage fixtures against Croatia on 27 June, a sequence of matches that will test both their ambition and their resolve.