Two defeats, no points and no coach: the Black Stars need maximum returns from the Somalia double-header to keep their AFCON 2027 hopes alive.
Ghana's AFCON 2027 dream is already in trouble. The Black Stars sit bottom of Group C with zero points, a goal difference of minus four and a six-point gap to the leaders. Now they face the Somalia double-header with no permanent coach and no margin for error.
The damage came fast. Ghana lost 2-0 to Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24, then hosted Gambia in Accra five days later and looked set to bounce back after goals from Nuamah and Afena-Gyan put them 2-0 up. The lead vanished and Gambia won 4-2. On October 1, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Carlos Queiroz agreed to part ways by mutual consent.
The timing makes it sting even more. Over the summer, Ghana were one of the stories of the 2026 World Cup. They beat Panama, held England to a draw and reached the knockout stage for the first time since 2010, before Colombia edged them 1-0 in the round of 32. Three months on, that run feels like a different era.
History adds to the pressure. Ghana missed AFCON 2025 without winning a single qualifier, and another sluggish start could cost them a second straight continental tournament. For a four-time African champion, that would be a painful reality check.
Off the pitch, the GFA is still searching for Queiroz's successor. The application deadline was extended on October 9 to October 15. Whoever ends up in the dugout, the task against Somalia is simple: win, rebuild belief and show that the World Cup spirit hasn't gone. Anything less and the Black Stars could be heading for another early exit from the AFCON race.
