The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has noted with grave concern, Ghana’s inability to qualify
for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 20 years and the general implications of this monumental
failure for football in Ghana.
Ghana’s record in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on the evidence of the results was incredibly poor. It betrayed not
just the immense support of Ghanaians for the Black Stars but also the vast talent of players available to draw
from and the investment of state resources at the peril of other national teams.
The fact that this didn’t reflect in the effort and results in the six qualifying games is deeply disappointing for
the Sports Writers Association of Ghana.
The failure calls for deep reflection not only on missing the 2025 tournament but on the gradual decline of
arguably Ghana football’s biggest brand, the Black Stars.
The senior national team impacts so many aspects of Ghanaian lives, including that of sports journalists and to
see it move from Africa Cup of Nations last four regulars between 2008 to 2017 to a team that has failed to
qualify from the group stage in the last two editions (2021& 2023) and now one that can’t even qualify for an
expanded 24 team continental tournament is deeply concerning.
As part of the deep national introspection, SWAG is urging a broad-based stakeholder engagement to address
the many challenges holding the team back and the concerns of multiple interested parties in how to take the not
just the team but Ghana football forward. This must happen as soon as possible.
As Ghana proved after the 2004 failure to qualify for the Nations Cup to reach a first world cup in 2006, two
Afcon finals and four semis, this country has an ability to bounce back from disappointment in style, but only if
we talk frankly, put Ghana first, and make the hard, difficult decisions required to take Ghana football forward.
Desperate times call for desperate measure, and Ghana Football is at such a time. Accountability, which instills
a sense of trust between leaders and their followership is solely needed now. It is not enough for the Ghana
Football Association to take collective responsibility for the recent failings.
SWAG, on behalf of Ghanaians, is asking for the FA leadership to swing the axe at those officials who are
unable to deliver results. If these drastic changes must include the top executive of the FA for positive results to
come, then Ghanaians, tired of historic disappointment, will embrace it.
