2026 World Cup: Charles Taylor doubts Black Stars’ readiness
9th February 2026
Former Ghana international Charles Taylor has cast doubt over the Black Stars’ preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, questioning whether the current setup is strong enough to compete on the global stage.
Ghana, four-time African champions, will be among the teams at the expanded tournament to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But Taylor believes optimism surrounding the Black Stars may be misplaced, despite recent reinforcements to the technical team.
The Ghana Football Association has strengthened the backroom staff with several appointments, including Alain Ravera and Kim Lars Björkegren as assistant coaches, Jose Daniel Martinez Alfonso as scout and video analyst, Carlos Lozano Romero as team physiotherapist, and Dwayne Peasah Paa Kwesi as performance coach.
While welcoming the additions, Taylor insists the lack of a highly experienced head coach remains a major concern.
“Who is our coach going to the World Cup? I believe we need an experienced coach,” he told Sporty FM.
He also questioned the current condition of some players and the confidence with which Ghana’s chances are being discussed.
“Some of our players are not even in good shape at the moment. I am not sure of our chances because people are saying we will beat Panama, which I find strange,” he said.
The former Hearts of Oak midfielder further criticised the GFA’s spending priorities, suggesting resources used to expand the technical team could have been channelled into recruiting a proven head coach.
“We are not doing well at the moment, and it is my concern,” Taylor added. “We have spent money to bring new people to join the technical team. Why didn’t we spend that money on hiring an experienced coach?”
Ghana have been drawn in Group L and will open their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17, 2026, before facing England on June 23. Their group-stage fixtures conclude with a clash against Croatia on June 27.
As part of preparations, head coach Otto Addo and his squad are expected to regroup in March for international friendly matches against Austria and Germany, games that could offer early indications of whether the Black Stars are on the right path.