Ghana have appointed experienced Portuguese tactician Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the Black Stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the departure of Otto Addo earlier this month.
Queiroz, 73, left his role as Oman coach last month after the side failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, but will make his fifth consecutive appearance as coach at the tournament with the Black Stars. Ghana were left without a coach 72 days before the World Cup kickoff after parting company with Otto Addo following friendly defeats by Austria and Germany in March.
The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association, working with all key stakeholders, confirmed the appointment, with Queiroz set to lead Ghana’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Queiroz arrives with one of the most decorated international coaching CVs in the game. He led South Africa to qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, guided Portugal to the knockout phase in 2010, and took charge of Iran at both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments. He has also held coaching roles in Egypt, Oman, Japan, and Qatar. His most notable African assignment came with Egypt, whom he guided to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final, defeating Ivory Coast, Morocco, and host nation Cameroon on the way before losing to Senegal in the final on penalties.
“This is not just another job, it is a mission,” Queiroz said in a statement on the GFA website.
Sources close to the GFA said the appointment is structured as a short-term arrangement through the World Cup and will be re-evaluated after the tournament.
Ghana will play their first group match against Panama on June 17, 2026, in Toronto, before facing England and Croatia in the remaining Group L fixtures. It will be Ghana’s fifth World Cup appearance, and with the clock ticking, Queiroz has precious little time to impose his tactical identity on the squad. His reputation for defensive organisation and tournament-stage composure is exactly what the Black Stars’ situation demands but whether he can deliver results in under two months remains the defining question.
