Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the performance of Black Stars Head Coach Otto Addo, insisting that the national team’s journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains far from convincing despite its lead in the qualifying group.
Speaking after Ghana’s 1–0 victory over Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, September 8, 2025, Hon Kofi Adams made clear that the ministry, which oversees the nation’s sporting affairs, is unimpressed with the Black Stars’ displays under Otto Addo.
He argued that the team’s inconsistency and struggles in recent matches underscore the urgent need for improvement.
“As a ministry, not personally as a minister, I cannot say that I am impressed. There are national teams that, today, after game eight, are very comfortable that they are going to the World Cup. As I sit here, AFCON will start in Morocco. Is Ghana going to be there? No. We will watch on TV.
“We have not qualified for the World Cup yet. We still need a win and a minimum draw to comfortably say that, as far as our group is concerned, nobody can overtake us—even if they score a thousand goals.”
Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams
The Black Stars’ qualification journey has been tense. Just days before the win against Mali, Ghana struggled to a 1–1 draw against Chad in an away fixture on Friday, September 5, 2025.
Although the four-time African champions currently top Group I with 19 points, they remain four points away from securing qualification, with two matches left to play—against the Central African Republic away and Comoros at home, both scheduled for October 2025.
Hon. Kofi Adams expressed frustration that Ghana’s qualification has not yet been sealed, unlike other nations that have already secured their place in the global tournament. He noted that the inconsistency and close margins in recent matches leave fans and stakeholders on edge.
“We are not sitting in a comfortable space at all. So if I tell you that I am impressed, then it means that I don’t know my job. I am not. There’s a lot of room for improvement.”
Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams
Otto Addo’s Admission
The Sports Minister further revealed that even Coach Otto Addo himself acknowledges shortcomings in the team’s performance.
“When you meet the coach himself, he tells you that he feels he got this one wrong. He takes the blame for this. He takes the blame for that. He identifies this, But, well, people may ask: for how long will you continue to be doing postmortems?
“For how long? Because you sometimes sit on tenterhooks. The last game like this was hot for you. It was very hot. I had to be getting up—I got up like three times.”
Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams
His remarks reflect wider public sentiment about the Black Stars’ recent performances. While Ghana’s win over Mali was celebrated, many fans have expressed concern about the lack of dominance against teams considered less formidable.
The draw against Chad, a side with limited history in top-level African football, particularly raised eyebrows and amplified calls for improvement.
Hon. Kofi Adams stressed that the ministry’s priority is not simply participation but ensuring that the national team consistently plays quality football and secures victories. “We are interested in the Black Stars playing quality games and winning them,” he emphasized.
The minister’s critique also comes at a time when expectations for the Black Stars remain high. Ghana’s last two international tournaments ended in disappointment: the team failed to advance past the group stage at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, and now the nation could not qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Absence from Continental Competition
The looming absence from continental competition only adds to the pressure on Otto Addo to deliver a World Cup spot. For many football lovers, the Sports Minister’s comments highlight the delicate balance between results and performance. Ghana sits atop Group I, but the journey has been far from convincing.
The Black Stars have scored fewer goals than expected and struggled to dominate games, leaving both officials and fans anxious about how they will fare against tougher opposition should they qualify for the World Cup.
The upcoming fixtures against the Central African Republic and Comoros will therefore be decisive not only for Ghana’s qualification prospects but also for Coach Addo’s future with the national team.
While topping the group is within reach, the Sports Minister’s remarks make it clear that merely scraping through will not suffice. The Black Stars’ rich footballing history, which includes memorable World Cup runs in 2006, 2010, and 2014, has set a high bar for both players and coaches.
For Hon Kofi Adams, meeting that standard requires more than last-minute victories and nervous performances. It requires dominance, consistency, and the ability to inspire confidence in both fans and government stakeholders alike.
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