Carlos Queiroz has been given the responsibility of taking Ghana back to the Africa Cup of Nations after the Black Stars missed the previous edition of the tournament.
The 73-year-old Portuguese coach has extended his contract with Ghana after leading the Black Stars to the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Ghana Football Association communications director Henry Asante Twum says securing qualification for the 2027 AFCON is now the immediate objective for Queiroz and his team.
“We had discussions before we concluded extending Carlos Queiroz’s contract, but the task is to guide the Black Stars back to the AFCON next year,” Asante Twum told Asempa FM.
“We were not there last year, and we cannot afford to miss out this time around.”
Queiroz was originally appointed on a four-month contract after Otto Addo was dismissed in March. His initial agreement was focused on guiding Ghana through their World Cup campaign.
The Portuguese has now been handed an extended mandate following Ghana’s progress at the 2026 World Cup, where the Black Stars reached the knockout stages.
The next major challenge for Queiroz will be Ghana’s 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, which begins later this month.
The Black Stars have been placed in Group C alongside neighbours Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia.
Ghana will start their qualifying campaign with an away fixture against Côte d’Ivoire on 24 September. The match will be played at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké.
Three days later, Ghana will return home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The opening two matches will provide Queiroz with an immediate opportunity to begin delivering on the new objective of returning Ghana to the continental competition.
Ghana missed the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending a long run of participation that had stretched back to 2004. It was the first time since then that the Black Stars had failed to qualify for the tournament.
The absence has increased the importance of the upcoming qualifying campaign, with the GFA making a return to the AFCON a central priority under Queiroz’s extended tenure.
The coach now has the task of building on Ghana’s World Cup campaign while ensuring the team does not suffer another disappointment in continental qualification.
Ghana’s run at the 2026 World Cup saw them reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2010. That achievement came after Queiroz took charge following Addo’s departure.
His original short-term appointment was therefore followed by a longer commitment from the GFA after the Black Stars’ World Cup performance.
The extended agreement gives Queiroz the opportunity to continue working with the national team beyond the World Cup and attempt to restore Ghana’s place at the AFCON.
The first test comes against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on 24 September, before Ghana host The Gambia in Accra three days later.
With Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia completing Group C, the Black Stars will have to navigate the qualifying campaign successfully to avoid missing another major African tournament.
For Queiroz, qualification represents a clear target at the start of his extended spell in charge.
After Ghana’s absence from the 2025 tournament, Asante Twum says the country cannot afford another failure to qualify.
The Black Stars will therefore begin their 2027 AFCON campaign with the expectation of securing a return to the competition, while Queiroz looks to build on the progress made at the World Cup.
