Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, Dr Randy Abbey, has revealed that his team was resolute in its mission to restore the fortunes of the national team following Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
For the first time in more than two decades, the Black Stars failed to make it to the continental showpiece, finishing bottom of their qualifying group with just three points after six matches and without a single win.
In the aftermath of that disappointment, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) dissolved the then Management Committee, which was headed by GFA Vice President Mark Addo. A new committee was subsequently formed, led by Dr Randy Abbey as Chairman, with former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah as Vice Chairman. Other members included Moses Armah, Samuel Aboabire, and Dr Richard Nsenkyire.
Under the leadership of the restructured committee, the Black Stars bounced back impressively to secure qualification for their fifth FIFA World Cup, to be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
Speaking on Asempa FM, Dr Abbey reflected on the difficult period following the AFCON setback but said the new team remained optimistic.
“It was a difficult time when we accepted to work as the Black Stars Management Committee, especially having failed to qualify for the AFCON, but we knew that we could turn it around once we got the support from the President [John Mahama and the Sports Minister, Kofi Adams.
He added that decisive changes to the technical setup played a crucial role in the team’s revival.
“We tweaked the technical team; we were confident that it would work for us with the resources and expertise around. Failing to qualify for the AFCON was a big blow, and we could not underestimate it. With the World Cup coming up next, there was no way we were going to miss out on the World Cup, even though our performance at the AFCON had not been great, but there was no way we were going to miss out,” he added.
The Black Stars will learn their group-stage opponents for the 2026 World Cup on December 5.
