Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member, Wilfred Osei Kweku ‘Palmer,’ believes Ghana needs to make significant improvements to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Black Stars still have a strong chance of making it to the global tournament, which will be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
After a poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, Ghana revived their hopes with back-to-back victories against Mali and the Central African Republic. The team is set to face Chad and Madagascar in the next round of qualifiers next month.
However, in an interview with Sporty FM, Osei Kweku expressed his concerns, emphasizing the need for changes to enhance Ghana’s qualification chances.
“We need to do a lot to qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” he told Sporty FM. “The technical direction of the team must change.”
He questioned the capability of head coach Otto Addo, citing his inexperience.
“Otto Addo is not a technically experienced coach, and we saw that during the AFCON qualifiers. I know he was able to beat Mali in Bamako, but Mali has changed their technical team and has also strengthened their squad. If they come to Accra and get into their element, we will be in serious trouble.”
Despite his concerns, Osei Kweku praised the appointment of German coach Winfried Schäfer, who will serve as the Black Stars’ technical advisor and the GFA’s technical director.
“Winfried Schäfer is a good coach, and we considered bringing him in during our time, but I believe the technical team must change.”
With crucial qualifiers ahead, the Black Stars will need to step up if they hope to book their ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
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