Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President George Afriyie has challenged Kurt Okraku’s assessment of the Black Stars’ performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that reaching the Round of 32 should not be celebrated as a significant milestone.
Ghana progressed beyond the group stage for the first time since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but were eliminated in the Round of 32 after their campaign in North America.
Following the team’s exit, GFA President Kurt Okraku described the Black Stars’ showing as a performance beyond expectations, insisting that advancing to the knockout stage was an achievement for the country.
However, speaking on Adom TV’s Sports Page, Afriyie expressed surprise at the GFA president’s comments, insisting that Ghana’s football standards demand more.
“I was shocked when I listened to the FA president [Kurt Okraku] saying we have done well,” he said.
The former GFA vice president questioned why progressing to the Round of 32 should be regarded as a major accomplishment for a country with Ghana’s football history.
“Why do we have an FA president [Kurt Okraku] who thinks that qualifying out of the group to the Round of 32 is an achievement? I’m so shocked.”
Afriyie also criticised Okraku’s level of preparedness when he took over the leadership of the GFA, suggesting that the association’s president needed more time to gain administrative experience before assuming the top role.
“He was a fresher. He needed to take his time to go through the ranks to learn. I think he thought that he had arrived, but he wasn’t,” he added.
The Black Stars’ World Cup campaign saw them finish among the teams that advanced from the group stage, marking their first knockout appearance at the tournament since 2010.
Ghana will now turn attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, scheduled to begin in September, where they have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, The Gambia and Somalia.
