Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has called on Ghana to prioritise long-term football development rather than focus on immediate results at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The Black Stars face an uphill battle to qualify for the 2027 AFCON after suffering back-to-back defeats to Ivory Coast and The Gambia in their opening Group C matches. The disappointing results have left Ghana bottom of the group without a point, casting doubt on their chances of qualifying for the tournament following their failure to reach the 2025 edition in Morocco.
Despite the difficult start, Vanderpuye believes Ghana should look beyond its current struggles and concentrate on building a competitive team capable of achieving sustained success over the next eight years.
Speaking in an interview with Akoma FM, the former minister advocated a shift in the country’s football development strategy, stressing the need for long-term planning instead of prioritising immediate results at major international tournaments.
“We should forget about the 2030 World Cup and the 2027 AFCON and focus on building a strong team for the next eight years,” he said.
His remarks come at a challenging time for the Black Stars, whose poor start to the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign has heightened concerns about the team’s direction. Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON has further intensified calls for a comprehensive review of the national team’s performances and the country’s broader football development structure.
Meanwhile, an interim technical team headed by Kim Lars Björkegren has been appointed to lead the Black Stars in their upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Somalia in November.
Björkegren will be assisted by Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram as the team seeks to recover from its disappointing start and revive its qualification hopes.
The interim arrangement follows the departure of Carlos Queiroz after Ghana’s struggles in the opening matches of the campaign. The Ghana Football Association is expected to name a permanent head coach in November, with the incoming coach facing the challenge of rebuilding confidence, improving performances and steering the Black Stars back on course for qualification.
