Ghana Reappoints Carlos Queiroz

Football · Ghana Black Stars

Accra, Ghana  |  Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Carlos Queiroz is back in charge of Ghana's Black Stars. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed on September 2, 2026 that it has reached a new agreement with the veteran Portuguese coach to continue as head coach of the national team — just two months after Queiroz resigned from the post following Ghana's exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The reappointment, described by the GFA as an interim arrangement, hands the 73-year-old responsibility for steering Ghana through the crucial September–October international window and the start of the team's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

"We are pleased to announce the agreement with Carlos Queiroz on his appointment as coach of the national team for the upcoming period," the GFA said in its official statement, adding that the Executive Council had worked with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to finalise the new mandate.

From resignation to reappointment

Queiroz's relationship with the Black Stars began in April 2026, when the GFA turned to him following the dismissal of previous coach Otto Addo, whose tenure had been undermined by a run of poor results in friendly matches. Queiroz arrived on a short-term contract with a singular, high-stakes mandate: prepare Ghana for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, then just months away.

He delivered Ghana's best World Cup showing in over a decade. The Black Stars finished third in Group L — recording a win over Panama, a draw with England, and a defeat to Croatia — before advancing to the Round of 32, marking Ghana's deepest run at the tournament since their famous 2010 quarterfinal appearance, when they were eliminated by Uruguay on penalties. With his short-term assignment complete, Queiroz stepped down from the role in early July 2026.

Why the GFA turned back to him

According to the GFA, the decision to bring Queiroz back centred on two specific factors: his extensive international coaching experience and his existing familiarity with the current Black Stars squad, built during his brief but successful spell in charge earlier in the year. Rather than starting a fresh coaching search from scratch — and losing valuable preparation time — the association and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation concluded that continuity with a coach who already understood the group offered the most pragmatic path forward.

The GFA cited Queiroz's "extensive international experience, technical expertise and knowledge of the Black Stars" as the central factors behind handing him a fresh mandate, according to the association's official announcement.

Queiroz's coaching résumé remains one of the most well-travelled in international football. He has previously led South Africa to 2002 World Cup qualification, guided Portugal to the knockout stage of the 2010 World Cup, and taken charge of Iran at both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments, in addition to spells with Egypt, Oman, Japan and Qatar's national programmes — as well as club and assistant roles at Real Madrid and Manchester United.

An immediate, difficult test

There will be little time for Queiroz to ease back into the role. Ghana's next assignment is a genuinely demanding one: an away fixture against Ivory Coast on September 23–24, 2026, in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, before the Black Stars return home to host the Gambia. Both matches carry direct significance for Ghana's qualification hopes for the 2027 AFCON, adding pressure to what is, for now, only an interim mandate rather than a long-term commitment from the GFA.

Key facts at a glance

Detail	Information
Coach	Carlos Queiroz (Portugal), age 73
Original appointment	April 2026, replacing Otto Addo
2026 World Cup result	3rd in Group L; eliminated in Round of 32 (best finish since 2010)
Group stage record	Win vs. Panama, draw vs. England, loss vs. Croatia
Resignation date	Early July 2026
Reappointment confirmed	September 2, 2026
New mandate type	Interim (no long-term contract confirmed)
Immediate priority	2027 AFCON qualifying campaign
Next fixture	Away vs. Ivory Coast, September 23–24, 2026
Following fixture	Home vs. The Gambia

What it means going forward

For now, Queiroz's return offers Ghana stability and a coach who guided the team to its best World Cup performance in 16 years, without the risk and lost preparation time that a fresh managerial search would have entailed heading straight into AFCON qualifiers. But the interim framing of the deal leaves the arrangement's longevity an open question — whether Queiroz's mandate is extended into a fuller, longer-term contract may well depend on how the Black Stars fare against Ivory Coast and the Gambia in the opening qualifiers of Ghana's push toward the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Sources

• Ghana Football Association — "Carlos Queiroz Reappointed to Lead Black Stars"
• MyJoyOnline — "Carlos Queiroz reappointed as Black Stars head coach"
• Crypto Briefing — "Ghana reappoints Carlos Queiroz to lead Black Stars on interim basis"
• YEN.com.gh — "Second chance: Ghana reappoints Carlos Queiroz as Black Stars coach"
• Pulse Ghana — "GFA reappoints Carlos Queiroz as Black Stars head coach"
• Yardbarker / Goal.com — "After his resignation: Queiroz returns to lead Ghana officially"
• Nkonkonsa.com — "Reappointment! Ghana entrust Carlos Queiroz with fresh Black Stars mandate"
• CAF Online — "Ghana appoint Carlos Queiroz as coach ahead of 2026 World Cup"

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