Veteran coach Carlos Queiroz appointed to lead Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after swift managerial shake-up and intense search for candidates.
Appointment Announcement
Carlos Queiroz has been named head coach of the Black Stars, Ghana’s senior national team. The veteran manager, who has previously coached Real Madrid, Manchester United, Portugal, and Iran, will take charge of Ghana’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Immediate Start and Group Stage Fixtures
Queiroz, 73, begins work immediately. Ghana will play their first Group L match against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field in Toronto. They are scheduled to face England on June 23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Croatia on June 27 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Sources close to the Ghana Football Association said the appointment is structured as a short-term arrangement through the World Cup and will be re-evaluated after the tournament.
Statement from Queiroz
“This is not just another job — it is a mission,” Queiroz said in a statement on the Ghana Football Association website. “And I am ready to give everything of my experience and knowledge once again, in service of the game and the happiness of People.”
Background to the Appointment
The appointment concludes a two-week search that began when the Ghana Football Association dismissed Otto Addo on March 30, hours after a 2-1 friendly loss to Germany in Stuttgart. That result was the Black Stars’ fourth consecutive defeat in pre-tournament preparation, following losses to Japan, South Korea, and Austria, with the last being a 5-1 defeat in Vienna. Addo, who had qualified Ghana for the tournament by winning eight and drawing one of ten qualifying matches, was fired 72 days before the World Cup’s opening ceremony.
Search for Candidates
Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku revealed that the association received over 600 applications in the first 24 hours after Addo’s departure, despite never issuing a public call for candidates.
Queiroz beat several prominent candidates to secure the job. Slaven Bilic, a 57-year-old Croatian and former West Ham United manager, was considered a frontrunner after holding direct discussions with the Ghana Football Association. Bilic managed Croatia at Euro 2008, reaching the quarterfinals, and spent two seasons in the Premier League with West Ham.
Herve Renard, who won the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, was widely regarded as a leading contender. Reports indicate the Ghana Football Association may be considering Renard for a longer-term role after the tournament, which likely influenced the decision to structure the initial appointment as a short-term contract.
Kwesi Appiah, currently managing Sudan and a former Black Stars head coach, was frequently mentioned as well. However, sources suggest his relationship with Okraku posed a significant obstacle. Tom Saintfiet, the Belgian coach who led Gambia to a historic AFCON quarterfinal in 2021, and Kim Lars Bjorkgren, a Swedish coach working within Ghana’s domestic setup, were also on the shortlist.
Queiroz’s World Cup Experience
Queiroz brings extensive World Cup experience to the role, having taken charge of national teams at five FIFA World Cups.
