The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has officially named Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the Black Stars, the association confirmed on Monday, April 13, 2026. The experienced Portuguese tactician will take immediate charge of preparations as Ghana look to make an impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Queiroz steps into the role vacated by Otto Addo, whose tenure came to an end following a turbulent international break that included a 5-1 defeat to Austria and a 2-1 loss to Germany. The GFA acted swiftly in the wake of those results, consulting key stakeholders before settling on a coach with an extensive international pedigree.
“The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association working with all key stakeholders, has appointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the senior national team, the Black Stars,” the GFA announced in its official statement. “The former Real Madrid, Manchester United, Portugal, and Iran coach will lead Ghana’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.”
Queiroz brings with him a wealth of World Cup experience that few coaches can match. According to the GFA’s statement, he led South Africa to qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, guided Portugal to the knockout phase at the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and managed Iran at both the 2014 edition in Brazil and the 2018 edition in Russia. Beyond those assignments, his international coaching career has also taken him to Egypt, Oman, Japan, and Qatar.
At club level, Queiroz held a prominent position as assistant coach at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, as well as a head coaching stint at Real Madrid. That combination of elite club exposure and repeated World Cup involvement makes him one of the more decorated appointments in recent Ghanaian football history.
The GFA’s statement outlined the scale of the task ahead: “Coach Queiroz begins work immediately to prepare the Black Stars for the tournament, which kicks off on June 11, 2026.” Ghana’s opening group-stage fixture is scheduled for June 17, 2026, against Panama in Toronto, Canada, with subsequent matches against England and Croatia to follow in the same group.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for Ghana, who have faced mounting pressure both on and off the pitch. The Black Stars have endured a difficult qualifying and preparation period, compounded by injury concerns within the squad. Queiroz will have limited time to impose his methods before the tournament begins, making the coming weeks a significant period for the national setup.
Ghana’s World Cup history offers both encouragement and context for the new coach. The Black Stars famously reached the quarter-finals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa — the last African nation to advance that far in the competition — before being eliminated by Uruguay on penalties. They have since appeared at the 2014 and 2022 tournaments without replicating that success, and the GFA will be hoping Queiroz’s experience can restore a degree of competitive standing on football’s biggest stage.
