President Mahama Backs Carlos Queiroz to lead Ghana to AFCON or World Cup glory
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed confidence that Ghana can win either the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) or the FIFA World Cup if head coach Carlos Queiroz remains in charge of the Black Stars.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the Ho Sports Stadium on Friday, Mr Mahama praised the progress made by the national team under the experienced Portuguese coach, whose four-month contract is due to expire at the end of July.
The President said Ghana’s performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup had demonstrated the team’s potential to compete with the world’s best, despite entering the tournament with modest expectations.
The Black Stars advanced to the newly introduced Round of 32 under Queiroz after opening their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama before holding England to a goalless draw. A defeat to Croatia in their final group match did not prevent Ghana from reaching the knockout stage, where they were eliminated by Colombia.
Mr Mahama dismissed pre-tournament predictions that Ghana would fail to progress beyond the group stage, describing the team’s World Cup campaign as evidence of its growing strength and resilience.
He argued that maintaining the current technical team would provide the stability needed for the Black Stars to challenge for major honours in the coming years.
“I’m sure that if we keep this team, and we persuade the coach Carlos Queiroz to continue to work with the team, by the time of the next AFCON and the next World Cup, we’ll have a team that can claim the championship in either of those two competitions,” Mr Mahama said.
Queiroz was appointed on a short-term deal to guide Ghana through the 2026 World Cup campaign, with his contract set to expire at the end of July.
His future remains uncertain, but the President’s public endorsement is likely to add momentum to calls for the Ghana Football Association to retain the veteran coach as preparations begin for the next AFCON and future World Cup qualifiers.
The Black Stars’ showing at the World Cup marked a significant improvement after recent mixed performances in major international competitions, raising optimism that the four-time African champions could soon re-establish themselves among football’s elite.
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