Sports Minister Minister for Youth, Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, voiced sharp criticism of Black Stars head coach Otto Addo on Wednesday, underscoring mounting concerns over the national football team’s trajectory as it struggles to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Adams described the team’s recent performances as “unconvincing” and expressed dissatisfaction with Addo’s leadership, despite Ghana’s narrow 1-0 victory over Mali earlier in the week. The win followed a 1-1 draw against Chad on September 5—results that have done little to ease anxieties surrounding the team’s inconsistent form during the ongoing qualifiers.
“If I tell you I am impressed, then it means I do not know my job. I am not,” Mr. Adams said. “There is a lot of room for improvement. Even when you meet the coach himself, he admits that he got things wrong and takes responsibility. But the question is: for how long will you continue to take blame for wrong decisions?”
Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup, to be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, remain alive but fragile. The Black Stars need a win and at least a draw in their remaining matches to ensure qualification from their group.
Mr. Adams’ remarks come amid growing public and media scrutiny of the national team’s technical bench, with critics calling for a more coherent strategy and disciplined execution on the pitch. The pressure has only intensified following Ghana’s failure to qualify for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to begin in Morocco.
“Very soon, AFCON is going to start in Morocco. Are we going to be part of it? No, we will watch on TV,” Mr. Adams said. “We have not even qualified for the World Cup yet.”
While Coach Addo has publicly acknowledged mistakes in recent match decisions, Mr. Adams suggested that accountability alone is insufficient. “There comes a time when admissions are not enough,” he said.
The Black Stars—four-time African champions—have struggled to reclaim their former stature in recent years, and the next few fixtures may prove decisive, not just for World Cup qualification, but for the future of Otto Addo’s tenure at the helm.
