Former Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Kwadwo Baah-Agyemang, has attributed the Black Stars’ recent struggles to what he describes as nepotism and cronyism within the team’s setup.
His comments follow Ghana’s underwhelming campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the senior national team exited the tournament at the Round of 32 stage.
The Black Stars finished third in Group L to progress to the knockout phase, setting up a clash with Colombia. However, Ghana’s campaign ended after Jhon Arias scored the only goal of the match in the first half to send the South Americans through.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Baah-Agyemang acknowledged Ghana’s achievement in reaching the knockout stage but insisted that deeper structural issues continue to hinder the progress of the national team.
“I am tempted to conclude that the Black Stars exceeded our expectations by qualifying for the next round of the World Cup, but the biggest problem of this team is nepotism and cronyism,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.
The former NSA boss called for a change in approach, urging stakeholders to prioritise the interest of the Black Stars over personal interests.
“It’s about time we put the interest of the Black Stars ahead of anyone’s interest. It’s sometimes sad to see something that happens at the national team and the kind of players that are invited. There are always questions that are not good for our game,” he said.
Baah-Agyemang further stressed that the focus should be on building a stronger national team rather than pursuing individual benefits.
“When the team improves and gets better, we will all benefit, which must be the plan and not just think about our interests and pockets,” he added.
Ghana’s qualification for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup marked the country’s first appearance in that phase of the competition since the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where they have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, Gambia, and Somalia.
