Otto Addo refuses to resign despite AFCON Qualification failure

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has confirmed he will remain in his role despite failing to guide Ghana to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Ghana’s campaign ended disastrously with a 2-1 loss to Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, capping a winless qualifying series.

Ghana, four-time AFCON champions, were eliminated after a 1-1 draw with Angola last Friday.

Fans hoped for a consolation victory against Niger, but a stoppage-time winner from their opponents deepened the nation’s disappointment.

Amid growing calls for his resignation, Addo remained resolute in his decision to stay, stating that he has more to achieve with the team.

“I’m not the person who can resign. If I had done this, I’d never have become a player or even a coach,” Addo said during a press conference.

“If you know where I have come from as a person to arrive at this job, you won’t even ask about resignation. People shouting and telling me to resign can’t affect me.”

Adding salt to Ghana’s wounds, former Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah, now in charge of Sudan, successfully led his team to AFCON qualification, edging out Ghana in Group F.

With AFCON 2025 now out of reach, the Black Stars will shift their focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they hope to restore pride and confidence among their fans.

The Ghana Football Association is expected to hold discussions on the team’s future direction.