Ghana’s sports minister rejects claims of political influence in Black Stars selection
Ghana’s Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has dismissed suggestions that government officials or outside figures influence player selection for the Black Stars.
His comments follow Ghana’s exit from the 2026 Fifa World Cup, where the team reached the knockout stages for the first time since 2010 before losing 1-0 to Colombia in the Round of 32.
Speaking to Joy News, Mr Adams said the responsibility for selecting players rests entirely with the national team’s head coach and technical staff.
“You have a duty to let them know that the work of a minister is not to select players,” said Mr Adams, who is also the Member of Parliament for Buem.
He said the Sports Ministry’s role was to provide policy direction, support the development of sport and work with the Ghana Football Association on administrative matters, including the appointment of a Black Stars coach.
However, he said that once a coach had been appointed, decisions on squad selection, tactics and other football matters should remain with the technical team.
“The work of a minister is to work with the FA to appoint a coach who has a responsibility to make sure he selects the players,” he said.
“That is why he is paid. That is why we have the FA, and that is why we have the coach.”
Mr Adams said political involvement in player selection would undermine the authority of the coach and make it harder to hold the technical team accountable for results.
“If we want the minister to select the players, then there should be no coach again,” he added. “The minister will select the players, and we do not have to pay the coach to do that.”
Ghana’s World Cup campaign ended despite a historic return to the knockout phase, marking the first time the Black Stars had progressed beyond the group stage in 16 years.
The team will now focus on preparations for the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
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