‘He won’t make the same mistakes’: George Afriyie backs Otto Addo ahead of 2026 World Cup

Former Ghana Football Association vice-president George Afriyie has voiced strong confidence in Black Stars head coach Otto Addo, insisting the Ghanaian tactician is now better prepared to lead the national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana, who will be appearing at the World Cup for the fifth time, have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia at the expanded tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Although the Black Stars successfully secured qualification, Addo’s future has been the subject of debate in recent months. Sections of the Ghanaian football public have questioned his experience at the highest level, with some critics calling for a change in the dugout ahead of the global showpiece.

Afriyie, however, believes the former Borussia Dortmund talent coach has grown significantly since his first World Cup outing and is now better equipped to cope with the demands of international football’s biggest stage.

“Otto Addo is now a mature coach, and I don’t think he will make mistakes at the World Cup,” Afriyie said in an interview with Accra-based Asempa FM.

Addo was in charge when Ghana exited at the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a campaign that ended with mixed emotions but valuable lessons for the coach and his squad.

This time, expectations are once again high as the Black Stars prepare to open their campaign against Panama on 17 June in Toronto. They will then face England in Boston before concluding their group-stage matches against Croatia on 27 June in Philadelphia.

For Addo, the 2026 tournament represents both a challenge and an opportunity, a chance to prove that experience, reflection and growth can translate into better results on the world stage, and to guide Ghana beyond the early hurdles that have defined recent World Cup campaigns.