The Minority has also called for the removal and possible prosecution of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), should investigations establish that he was involved in any wrongdoing.

The demands were made on Wednesday by the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, at a press conference.

Mr Assafuah alleged that some officials were involved in facilitating visa applications for people who were not employees of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.

He further claimed that cover letters were allegedly prepared to present some outsiders as ministry staff in order to facilitate their applications to travel to the United States for the World Cup.

“This raises serious questions about the processes used to facilitate the travel of individuals to the United States for the World Cup,” Mr Assafuah said.

The allegations form part of an ongoing controversy over the payment of about $623,000 in visa facilitation fees linked to Ghana’s arrangements for supporters and officials travelling to the tournament.

President John Mahama has suspended National Sports Authority (NSA) Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah pending investigations into the matter.

However, the Minority says the investigation should go beyond the NSA boss and examine the roles of all officials who may have been involved.

“The dismissal of Yaw Ampofo Ankrah does not, by itself, resolve the issues before us. Accountability cannot and does not end with one individual,” Mr Assafuah said.

He added: “Dismissal is not prosecution. Removal from office is not accountability for criminal conduct. Where there is evidence of a crime, the appropriate law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities must pursue the matter.”

The Minority wants investigators to establish how the $623,000 was approved, who benefited from the arrangements and whether the appropriate procedures were followed in facilitating the visa applications.

Mr Assafuah said accountability must extend to any other officials found to have played a role in the controversy.

The Minority’s demands do not constitute a finding of wrongdoing against Mr Adams or the GTA chief executive. Any disciplinary or criminal action would depend on the outcome of investigations.

Ghana’s Black Stars were eliminated in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Yankah’s comments follow the Black Stars’ poor start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Ghana opened their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast before suffering another setback against The Gambia.

The Black Stars appeared to be in control after taking a 2-0 lead at the Accra Sports Stadium, but conceded four goals to lose 4-2 and remain without a point from their opening two matches.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Sports Nite Show, Yankah said Ghanaian football had “fallen into a pit” and singled out Okraku as the main problem.

“How on earth should Baba Rahman go to the World Cup if not for personal interest?” Yankah said.

“It is very disgraceful, considering the state of our football under Kurt Okraku,” he added.

The Black Stars’ results have intensified scrutiny of the GFA and raised concerns about Ghana’s chances of reaching the 2027 AFCON, after the country failed to qualify for the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

Ghana will attempt to revive their campaign in October when they face Somalia in a two-legged tie, with both matches scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The poor start has led to Carlos Queiroz resigning from his role as the head coach of the Black Stars.

Meanwhile, the GFA and the Sports Ministry have formed a five-member technical search committee to identify and recommend candidates for the vacant Black Stars head coach position.

The committee is expected to submit its report on Friday, 9 October.

The committee was established by the Ministry of Sports and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) last week following Queiroz’s sudden resignation as head coach of the senior national team.

According to 3Sports, the committee is expected to recommend an interim coach when it submits its report on Friday, 9 October.

The interim coach would take charge of Ghana for the November double-header against Somalia in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium before settling on a substantive head coach.

The committee’s mandate is also expected to be extended after Friday’s recommendation to allow it to continue its search for a substantive head coach.

The five-member committee is chaired by former GFA vice-president Fred Pappoe and includes former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, former Ghana international Anthony Yeboah, Faisal Chibsah and Agbesi Dzakpasu.

Queiroz stepped down after Ghana suffered consecutive defeats at the start of their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars lost 2-0 away to Ivory Coast before suffering a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia in Accra.

Those results leave Ghana bottom of Group C without a point from their opening two matches.

The Black Stars are now under pressure to revive their campaign and secure a return to the AFCON after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and former head coach Carlos Queiroz recently parted ways after the Black Stars made a disappointing start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The GFA and the Sports Ministry have since established a five-member technical search committee to identify and recommend candidates for the vacant position.

The committee is expected to submit its report on Friday, 9 October.

Lamptey believes the next coach must have a broader understanding of Ghana’s football environment and should not focus exclusively on the senior national team.

“We have to make sure that the next person we appoint will know our situation,” Lamptey told 3Sports.

“It is not about the Black Stars; our football has gone down.”

Ghana opened their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast before suffering another setback against The Gambia.

The Black Stars took a commanding 2-0 lead at the Accra Sports Stadium but collapsed in the second half to lose 4-2, leaving them without a point from their opening two matches.

The poor results have intensified scrutiny on the GFA and raised fresh concerns over Ghana’s chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON.

The four-time African champions already missed the 2025 tournament in Morocco, ending a run of appearances stretching back more than two decades.

Ghana will look to revive their campaign in October when they face Somalia in a double-header, with both matches scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that the search committee is expected to recommend an interim coach to oversee the Somalia AFCON back-to-back fixtures before a substantive head coach is appointed.

Ghana are searching for a new head coach following Carlos Queiroz’s departure on 1 October after the team’s disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA), working with the Sports Ministry, has formed a five-member technical search committee to identify and recommend candidates for the vacant position.

The committee is expected to submit its report by Friday, 9 October.

Polo, a member of Ghana’s 1978 AFCON-winning team, believes Zito should also be considered for the role.

“That was Zito. Unfortunately, he is not in the scene. I don’t know whether he’s relaxed or whatever,” Polo told Citi Sports.

“But football, there is an option now. Otherwise, I would have said he is someone who can be given the chance to do something.”

Polo also singled out Dreams FC coach Mingle as his preferred candidate.

“To me, Kassim Mingle is the only one that I look at. And they’re giving him Under-17s,” he added.

The Black Stars are under pressure after failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and making a poor start to their 2027 qualifying campaign.

Ghana lost 2-0 to Ivory Coast before surrendering a two-goal lead in a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia, leaving them without a point from their opening two Group C matches.

The Black Stars will attempt to revive their campaign in November when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The search committee is also expected to recommend an interim coach to oversee those matches while the process of appointing a substantive head coach continues.

The senior national team has been without a head coach since Carlos Queiroz resigned from the role last week.

Kingston, who has expressed interest in succeeding the Portuguese coach, is currently in charge of Uganda’s Under-17 side.

The former Ghana international previously coached the Black Starlets but left the position after the team failed to qualify for the 2025 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

His departure followed Ghana’s 2-1 defeat by Burkina Faso in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship on 2 May 2024 at the University of Ghana Stadium.

However, Polo, who was part of Ghana’s squad that won the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations, has now questioned whether Kingston has what it takes to manage the senior national team.

“Laryea Kingston doesn’t have the heart to coach the Black Stars because he doesn’t have the heart. I don’t know why he left his job,” Polo told Citi Sports.

A five-member technical search committee established by the Ghana Football Association in collaboration with the Sports Ministry is currently considering candidates for the position.

The committee is expected to submit its recommendations by Friday, 9 October, as Ghana seeks to appoint a new head coach ahead of the Black Stars’ 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia next month.

It has been reported that the committee will recommend an interim coach for the Somalia games before a substantive coach is named.

Speaking on Adom Sports Page 2, the former general manager of Wa All Stars (now Legon Cities FC) expressed concern about the safety and welfare of the teenage players, who travelled by bus on a journey of about 960 kilometres from Ghana to Ouagadougou.

The Black Starlets arrived in the Burkinabe capital after completing a journey that lasted more than 20 hours. The team had earlier spent four days training at the Winkogo Technical Centre in Bolgatanga before continuing by road to Burkina Faso.

Boyoyo questioned why the young players were subjected to such a lengthy road trip when, in his view, air travel would have been a safer and more appropriate option.

“Why will you subject people’s children to that ordeal? Anything could have happened to them on the way.”

He also questioned the role of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation in the decision, arguing that journalists should demand answers from the government over the arrangements made for the junior national team.

“And what did the ministry also do about it? These are the questions you journalists should be asking the government.”

Boyoyo said the welfare of the Black Starlets deserves particular attention because the Under-17 team represents the foundation of Ghana’s football development system.

‘If we are talking about the foundation of Ghana football, the U-17 is where Ghana football starts’

He argued that exposing young players to what he considers an unnecessary travel risk could undermine the country’s long-term football development.

“And if you put these kids through these danger, do you think it’s worth sacrificing?”

His concerns come amid wider questions about the safety of road travel through parts of the Sahel region. Boyoyo pointed to security challenges beyond Ghana’s borders and referenced the 2010 attack on the Togolese national team in Angola as an example of the potential risks football teams can face while travelling.

‘Will the minister allow his kids to go by road?’

Boyoyo further challenged the authorities to consider whether they would make the same transportation decision if the players were their own children.

“In private life, will the sports minister allow his kids to go to Burkina Faso by road?”

The Black Starlets’ journey has attracted attention because of both its length and the timing of the trip. The team returned from Morocco only days earlier after playing two friendly matches against the hosts, winning the first 2-0 before losing the second 2-1 with the final kick of the match.

The Ghana Football Association has confirmed that the Black Starlets will open their WAFU Zone B campaign against Togo on October 10 at the 4th August Sports Stadium in Ouagadougou. They will face Benin on October 13 before completing their group-stage campaign against hosts Burkina Faso on October 16.

The competition doubles as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, with the two finalists earning qualification for the continental tournament.

The Black Starlets have arrived safely in Ouagadougou, with no reported security incident involving the team during the journey.

Stewart agreed to join Chelsea in 2022 initially as a technical director and was made co-sporting director alongside Paul Winstanley, who will now work on a day-to-day basis with Sam Jewell and Joe Shields.

Dave Fallows remains part of Chelsea’s football leadership team, but he does not have a set portfolio and works in more of an advisory and consultancy role.

Chelsea’s day-to-day football leadership team will now consist of Winstanley, Jewell and Shields, who work closely with manager Xabi Alonso and the club’s data and analytics department, which has been significantly invested in. The trio report to co-owners Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano, and there are no plans to appoint a like-for-like replacement for Stewart.

Sources insist there has been no falling out between the sporting directors and that Stewart’s exit is the result of a mutual decision by him and the club. It is regarded as a natural evolution that Chelsea and Stewart have been moving towards, and goodwill, gratitude and respect remains on both sides.

Eghbali spoke in April about a recognition of needing to “tweak a model” and that has been reflected in giving Alonso the title of manager, rather than head coach, signing Premier League-ready players and the departure of Stewart, together with the decision not to directly replace him.

The streamlining of the football leadership team is also a reflection on the increased status of Jewell and Shields, whose primary responsibilities focus on recruitment, player identification and squad building. Jewell also works globally across Chelsea’s multi-club model with Strasbourg, while Shields oversees academy and player pathways.

Jewell and Shields will continue to work closely with Winstanley, who is chiefly responsible for the delivery of transfer targets through talking to and negotiating with clubs and agents. He is also heavily involved in player sales, the renewal of contracts and the medical department.

As first revealed by Telegraph Sport, Tottenham Hotspur last season made checks on the possibility of appointing Winstanley, but he had no interest in leaving Chelsea and the club were adamant in their desire for him to stay.

While it is said to have been in the pipeline since before former co-owner Todd Boehly sold his stake in the club and is in no way connected, Stewart’s departure will be the first big change within Chelsea’s football structure since Clearlake Capital took full control.

Along with Winstanley, Jewell and Shields, Stewart was rewarded with a new contract to 2031 after Chelsea won the Club World Cup in 2025. But Stewart is leaving five years before that deal is due to expire.

Stewart is not thought to be moving straight into another job and will be welcome to attend matches at Stamford Bridge until he takes up a role elsewhere or decides otherwise.

Having joined from Monaco almost four years ago, Stewart’s primary role with Chelsea’s football leadership team had centred on budget planning, style of play and football philosophy, and working closely with the data team. He is popular and well respected inside the club and is also highly thought of outside Stamford Bridge.

The three-man day-to-day team of Winstanley, Jewell and Shields will now work closer with Chelsea’s data team, with the rest of Stewart’s work being absorbed within the existing structure. 

Ahead of working as a technical director at Monaco, Stewart was the global head of scouting at Red Bull Soccer International. Before that, he was the head of performance analysis at Manchester City, senior recruitment co-ordinator at Everton, and was a performance analyst with the England national team at the 2014 World Cup.

Stewart and Winstanley first got to know each other roughly 20 years ago, working in match analysis for Hull City and Wigan Athletic respectively. Chelsea, where they shared an office at the club’s Cobham training ground, were the first club at which they had worked together.

The NSC’s position comes after reporting by The New York Times and Le Monde on allegations that FIFA’s own legal officials determined DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was ineligible because his change of international association from France had not been completed.

Both publications, which reviewed internal FIFA documents, reported that FIFA lawyers discovered the problem in March, before DR Congo’s intercontinental playoff against Jamaica, but no disciplinary action was taken. DR Congo went on to qualify for the World Cup.

“Nothing has been decided yet, but we will seriously consider seeking compensation from FIFA for all of the economic losses this has cost Nigeria,” the NSC official told ESPN.

“The revenue that the Super Eagles and the NFF would have received from participating at the World Cup, the exposure that players would have got, transfers, the sponsorship fees, even the boost to the Nigerian economy.

“We are exploring all our options as a country, and nothing is off the table.”

Meanwhile, the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) said: “CONCACAF takes player eligibility matters very seriously and expects the applicable regulations and procedures to be applied consistently and fairly in all competitions.

“Any concerns regarding player eligibility, particularly those that may affect the integrity of a competition or the interests of one of our member associations, should be thoroughly reviewed and addressed through FIFA’s appropriate governance and disciplinary bodies, in accordance with established regulations and due process.”

There is precedent for FIFA compensating a federation following a disputed World Cup elimination, although under substantially different circumstances.

FIFA paid the Football Association of Ireland €5 million after Ireland threatened legal action following its elimination by France in qualification for the 2010 World Cup. Thierry Henry handled the ball before setting up William Gallas for the goal that sent France through.

The payment was initially structured as an interest-free loan and later written off. FIFA subsequently described the arrangement as a one-off.

Nigeria’s potential case would be different because its argument centres on FIFA’s administration and enforcement of its own eligibility regulations.

The NFF first raised eligibility concerns after DR Congo eliminated the Super Eagles from the African World Cup playoffs in November. The teams drew 1-1 after extra time before DR Congo won 4-3 on penalties.

The original complaint was wider than the issue subsequently discovered with Mpasi, with the NFF alleging that several DR Congo players were improperly cleared by FIFA because of questions over their nationality status under Congolese law.

Then-NFF president Ibrahim Gusau said at the time that FIFA had been misled when approving the players.

“The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual nationality,” Gusau said. “FIFA regulations say once you have the passport of your country, you are eligible. As far as we are concerned, they are eligible; that is why they are cleared by FIFA. But our contention is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them.”

The NSC official said the Mpasi revelations supported Nigeria’s argument that FIFA should have investigated the eligibility questions regardless of the procedural status of Nigeria’s correspondence.

“Nigeria has been vindicated,” the official said. “When we said we had written a petition to FIFA, people accused us of all sorts of things. I think this has proven that we were correct that DRC fielded ineligible players.

“We did not need to file a protest. So the issue of filing late did not arise,” the official said. “We only sent in a petition to remind them to apply the rules, the same way they did when South Africa fielded an ineligible player, and when we fielded an ineligible player during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

“By rule, these sanctions kick in automatically once it is identified.”

Bolivia forfeited two 2018 World Cup qualifiers for fielding Nelson Cabrera, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport later confirming FIFA’s authority to open disciplinary proceedings on its own initiative. Greece was also sanctioned in 2016 for fielding Apostolos Giannou without completing his change of association from Australia.

More recently, South Africa forfeited a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho after fielding the suspended Teboho Mokoena.

In addition to potentially demanding compensation, Nigeria now wants FIFA to reopen the DR Congo case, with the NSC official arguing that the latest evidence raises questions that extend beyond just the procedural handling of the NFF’s original petition.

“Nigeria will be seeking for FIFA to review the case because the case is about fraud and fraud does not have a time limit for punishment,” the official said. “DRC should be made to face consequences for what they have done, to serve as a lesson to others who may want to try the same thing in future.”

The 39-year-old, playing his 208th and final international game, converted a second-half penalty and registered two assists in a comfortable 3-0 friendly win.

Messi, who announced his international retirement in August, was playing his first game for Argentina since the death of his father, Jorge, aged 68, following a long illness.

After the match, he addressed the crowd with a speech spanning nearly 10 minutes, with some of his teammates – including Manchester City’s Enzo Fernandez – in tears as Messi admitted he did not want to leave the field.

“There are so many emotions going through me right now,” he said. “I’m surely forgetting many things I would like to say because this is a very difficult moment for me. The first person who comes to my mind is my dad.

“I leave grateful, proud and at peace. Thank you for everything.”

Messi played the full 90 minutes before the 85,000-strong sell-out crowd inside the Monumental were treated to a laser light show, live music and presentations.

When he made his announcement in August, Messi said the decision to retire “hurt” but that “the time has come”.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said he had written his retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in this summer’s World Cup final.

Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005 as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary. However, he was shown a straight red card less than a minute later, after he swung his arm and his elbow connected with full-back Vilmos Vanczak.

Despite his tough start on the international stage, Messi went on to become one of the all-time greats, winning the World Cup and two Copa América titles with Argentina.

He is the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history, with 21, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe (22), and second for goals in all internationals (126) behind his great contemporary and rival, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146).

“I have nothing left to do but thank this shirt,” continued Messi.

“For 20 years, even through the worst moments, I never stopped fighting, pushing forward, giving everything I had and wanting to be here.

“Not coming here anymore and no longer being with the Argentina national team is going to hurt a lot. If it were up to me, I would love to be here for my entire life, because playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing there is.

“I think I’m talking more than ever today because I simply don’t want this moment to end.

“But I think the time has come for me to retire. The last World Cup took a lot out of us after everything we went through. We arrived in the final with just enough left in us, but we fought until the very end, like we always did.

“We came very close to winning it again, and despite everything that was said about us, nothing strange happened. The match against England took a lot out of us because we gave absolutely everything.

“In 2022, we had the dream of fulfilling not only my dream, but the dream of an entire country: becoming world champions again. And we did it.”

Messi’s career will continue at club level with Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, with whom he has a contract that runs to the end of the 2028 season.

On a night of celebrations from start to finish in the Argentine capital, Messi was often seen to be visibly moved by the occasion.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward was filmed wiping away tears on the coach’s journey to the ground and again appeared overcome by emotion during a rousing rendition of the country’s national anthem.

Before kick-off, a spectacular firework display greeted the players on to the pitch, while a giant Argentina shirt – bearing Messi’s iconic number 10 and the word ‘gracias’ (thank you) – was sprawled across the field.

Ten minutes into the game, play was then brought to a halt for yet more fireworks, another standing ovation for Messi and handshakes from every Benin player.

Once the fanfare subsided, Messi was typically at the heart of everything going forward for Argentina, seeing two free-kicks well saved, twice missing glorious chances from inside the six-yard box and then hitting the post in the closing stages.

Image source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

Image source: Getty Images

Image source: Getty Images

Image source: Reuters

Image source: Getty Images

‘The world thanks you for everything you did for football’

“It’s been a dream come true. I never thought I’d be the coach of the best footballer in history,” Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni said after the game.

“We are eternally grateful to him for giving us the opportunity to be with him.

“The tears are because so many things are going through my head. Not seeing him anymore will be sad. He leaves us with an incredible legacy.

“The feeling of having him (Messi) on your side is incomparable. I’ve never seen that aura in anyone else in my life.”

Brazil forward and Messi’s former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain teammate Neymar wrote on X: “It’s not just Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you did for football.

“Thank you for making me love football even more; it was an honour to have played against you and even more so to make history by your side.”

Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s close friend and a teammate at both international and club level, said: “He made me grow not only as a footballer, but also as a person.

“I became a better person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father and a better friend.

“I want to tell him that I love him. He knows that he is my brother and that he has an enormous heart.”

Ex-Argentina team-mate Angel di Maria said: “Seeing him with so much happiness, and that tranquillity of knowing that he gave everything he had, is what makes us all happy.

“I thank him for life.”

An independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

City have appealed against the verdict, while the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is poised to look at the findings to see if there may be any suggestions of potential misconduct.

However, there is said to be a consensus among a group of top-flight club executives that if City’s appeal is unsuccessful, the sanctions should make reparations for the period when they broke the rules, while also limiting their powers in future.

There is also a feeling from at least four Premier League boardrooms that a “one-hit” points deduction resulting in relegation to the Championship would be an insufficient punishment given the severity of City’s wrongdoing.

There is understood to be nuance in exactly what clubs consider a fitting penalty for the eight-time Premier League champions, who were found guilty of all serious financial rule breaches in a damning verdict by an independent commission.

One senior club source said City should be stripped of their titles, and added there was “no great rush” among clubs to push for the redistribution of trophies, but rather to take honours away and leave them vacant.

The source warned the credibility of the Premier League would be lost if City were allowed to keep the eight major trophies they won during the period they have been found guilty.

However, in a sign of a range of opinions across the league, BBC Sport was previously told there was little appetite among other clubs for City to be stripped of titles.

Regarding the timescale for sanctions in the future, there is a concern among club executives that a sanction applied just to one season would merely provide City with a “bump in the road” given the likelihood of them returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

A number of Premier League figures therefore believe any points deduction should be split over multiple seasons, while there is also a sense that transfer bans that stretch over a number of windows would also significantly hinder City’s ability to regain their top-flight status as quickly as possible.

One club source also said it would be “bizarre, almost obtuse” if City were able to trade in the upcoming January transfer window, if this process is ongoing and sanctions have not been applied.

Some clubs cited feeling “in the dark” regards the Premier League, including around the chronology and timescales of the appeal and the sanctions hearing.

However, sources said there was “empathy” and “understanding” about the difficult position the Premier League is in, given the gravity of this situation and the ongoing legal process.

Regarding financial reparations, one idea that has been mooted – and which a club source found “merit” in – was to apply a “tariff-based system”, whereby City’s past league finishing positions would be altered via a points deduction.

Rival clubs could then be paid compensation by City based on where they would have finished versus where they did finish.

BBC Sport understands Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca will speak to players collectively after they arrive back from international duty on Thursday, before their Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST).

The trip to Anfield is their first game since news of the verdict broke.

Merseyside Police says it has received queries in relation to the match, and when asked by BBC Sport if any special measures would be put in place the force said it will have “an appropriate policing operation in place on the day”.

Sources at Liverpool have told BBC Sport it is a case of “business as usual” and there are no extra measures being put in place. Conversations and meetings between the club, supporters and relevant authorities take place before every home game.

One source said while everyone “has the right to express their feelings” they hoped supporters would not overstep the mark.

The 41-year-old captain left his country’s Nations League camp last week after being an unused substitute against Norway and then finding out he would not start against Denmark.

Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 Portugal appearances – both world records – helping them win Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.

In a lengthy statement, which ran to nearly 2,000 words, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player said he should be held accountable for his actions.

But he accused Jesus of an “absolute breach of trust” for firstly not playing him against Norway after saying he would, before going back on a decision to present an agreed version of events to the media.

“The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” Ronaldo said.

“I have already apologised, but I know that actions have consequences.”

Ronaldo’s statement comes after Portugal head coach Jesus said there was no rift with the captain, following claims the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had refused to train.

Jesus said on Sunday that the door was still open for Ronaldo to play for the country’s national team.

Ronaldo said that, provided he was “physically fit, playing with my team, and hopefully scoring goals”, he would like to continue to play international football.

“After my suspension period ends, I will be available, as I always have been, to compete and win with our national team,” he added.

BBC Sport has approached the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) for comment.

What does Ronaldo say happened?

Ronaldo’s statement struck a conciliatory tone in places, but he was also critical of Portugal coach Jesus as he provided his version of the dispute which prompted him to walk out on the squad last week.

He said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness.

However, on the day of the Norway game, the 72-year-old coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

A later meeting with Jesus produced an agreement for the coach to clarify matters at his next news conference.

Ronaldo said an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’ decisions and that the coach asking “someone of the stature of Pele or Maradona” to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Portugal’s record appearance holder said the agreed notes did not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s public remarks did not reflect their private discussion.

“The conference was what is known: the attitude had nothing to do with our meeting,” Ronaldo explained.

“I heard expressions and an aggressiveness I believe I did not deserve, a “High and mighty” attitude that he never showed me, not even remotely, in private the day before.”

Ronaldo said it was the “second time” Jesus had “broken his word to me” and he decided to leave the training camp “without waiting for any further broken promises”.

Prior to his appointment as head coach, Ronaldo said he had described Jesus – who had previously managed him at Al Nassr – as the “right choice”.

Ronaldo had considered retiring from international football after this summer’s World Cup – at which Portugal exited at the last-16 stage – and said he had written a letter to fans containing the words he wanted to tell them when he announced it, but he was urged to reconsider by the FPF’s president, Pedro Proenca, on the flight home from the United States.

Ronaldo’s behaviour drew contrasting opinions in his homeland with Jesus getting some support in the media and among fans at odds with those loyal to legendary player.

Ronaldo said that, despite the “absolute breakdown of trust” in Jesus’ word, he should not have left and the “responsibility is mine alone”, as he said sorry to his fellow players and Portugal’s supporters.

He added: “I owe an apology to my national team teammates for having left the camp… I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but a broken word has, for me, a defining impact.”

Ronaldo’s search for a record 1,000 career goals continues and he has returned to training in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.

He has scored 979 times for Portugal, Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.

Portugal won the matches against Norway and Denmark without Ronaldo in the side, and are back in action in November in their final Nations League group games against the Danes and Wales.

BBC Sport reported earlier this month that an agreement had been made on an improved new contract.

The Spaniard’s deal was set to expire at the end of this season, with his time in charge of the Gunners now possibly stretching to a decade following his arrival in December 2019.

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is reportedly paid over £20m per year, as was former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola – both of whom Arteta benchmarked his worth against.

The new contract includes an increase from his current salary of £10m per year plus an additional £5m in bonuses.

“This club is unique, its character and the way it makes you feel, and I have a great sense of privilege that our journey together will continue,” Arteta said.

“We have already built a special bond and created memories that will last a lifetime, and what is so exciting is that this is only the beginning of what we can achieve together.”

The 44-year-old has won a Premier League and FA Cup in charge of Arsenal, losing the Champions League final against Paris St-Germain in May.

Grusah claims that intimidation and the fear of victimisation have forced several clubs to remain silent over what he described as mismanagement of Ghanaian football.

Speaking to Onua FM, he said even two of the country’s biggest clubs, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, were reluctant to openly criticise the GFA because they feared facing consequences.

“Even now Kotoko and Hearts of Oak are afraid to speak up because they would be threatened with relegation,” Grusah said.

His comments come at a difficult time for Ghanaian football, with the Ghana Premier League and several national teams facing criticism over their performances and administration.

The Black Stars have also endured a poor start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, losing their opening two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

Grusah has called on Sports Minister Kofi Adams to take action over the leadership of the GFA and the Black Stars Management Committee.

“Let them resign immediately before we play our next match. I am not a prophet, but if they resign, Ghana will qualify inshallah,” he said.

“I plead with every Ghanaian to rise up and demonstrate against this FA.”

Grusah also alleged that players could be denied opportunities with the Black Stars if they were not favoured by officials within the football association.

“A player who is not being managed by the leaders of the football association will not get the chance to play for the Black Stars no matter how good the player may be,” he claimed.

He further questioned the progress of Ghana’s youth national teams under GFA president Kurt Okraku.

“Where are the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 national teams since Kurt Okraku became the GFA president?” he asked.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 10, with Ghana among the teams competing for qualification to the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Starlets began their journey in Accra before travelling to Bolgatanga, where they spent four days at the Winkogo Technical Centre continuing their preparations for the competition.

The team then resumed their journey by road on Tuesday, travelling across the border into Burkina Faso before arriving in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The lengthy trip comes only days after Ghana returned from Morocco, where the team played two friendly matches against the hosts as part of their final preparations.

The Starlets won the opening encounter 2-0 before Morocco secured a 2-1 victory in the second match with the final kick of the game.

Ghana have been drawn in Group B alongside hosts Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin.

The top two teams in the group will qualify for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations, making the opening matches particularly important for the Starlets.

However, the team’s long road journey has raised questions about the logistics surrounding the tournament, particularly the welfare of the young players travelling through a region that continues to face security challenges.

The Starlets will now settle in Ouagadougou and complete their preparations before beginning their campaign on home soil against some of the leading U17 sides in the WAFU Zone B region.

The four-time African champions have endured a difficult start to their qualifying campaign, losing their opening two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

Those defeats have left Ghana bottom of the group without a point and increased concerns over their chances of reaching the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Following the poor start, there have been calls for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the team’s handlers to consider withdrawing from the qualifiers.

But Polo, who helped Ghana win the 1978 AFCON, believes the Black Stars must instead assess their shortcomings and find solutions ahead of their next matches.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to do that. No, that is not the right thing,” Polo told Citi Sports.

“You’ve been beating some people before. They went back to the drawing board and found solutions. So, if they are now coming to beat you, you should go back to the drawing board and find solutions.

“And the solution is within us. We have to find the solution within us. The quality of our players today is different from that of two years ago. It’s different.”

Polo believes Ghana need the right technical leadership to get the best out of the current squad.

He called for the appointment of a coach capable of improving the players and adding value to the team.

“So, we need a technical person who can help them and add some value to what they have,” he said.

“But withdrawing from the competition is senseless. It doesn’t make sense.”

The Black Stars will have an opportunity to revive their campaign in November when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana are already under pressure after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco and could miss the tournament again if they fail to turn their fortunes around in the remaining qualifiers.

The first leg of the historic final is scheduled for 5-7 June 2027, with the return leg to be played between 12 and 13 June.

The GFA says the decision is aimed at giving the competition greater exposure while allowing both finalists to stage a major fixture in front of their home supporters.

It marks a departure from the traditional one-off final and will see the two finalists battle over two matches for the trophy.

The competition will begin with the preliminary round, which is scheduled for 23-26 October 2026.

The Round of 64 will follow from 27-30 November, with the Round of 32 set for 12-15 February 2027.

The quarter-finals will be played from 19-22 March, followed by the semi-finals between 23 and 26 April.

The two-legged final in June will bring the competition to a historic conclusion, with the finalists given two opportunities to determine the winner of Ghana’s premier domestic knockout competition.

Nations FC are the defending champions after beating Dreams FC 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time in last season’s final.

The new format means the 2026/27 edition will be the first MTN FA Cup final in Ghana to be decided over two matches.

Baffoe was named as one of five members of the committee established by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) last week.

The committee is chaired by former GFA vice-president Fred Pappoe and includes former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, FIFA high-performance specialist Faisal Chibsah and football administrator Agbesi Dzakpasu.

The committee was formed following a meeting between the Ministry and the GFA on Friday, 2 October, after Carlos Queiroz stepped down as Ghana coach following the team’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The committee has been tasked with identifying, assessing and recommending a suitable candidate for the position, with its report expected by Friday, 9 October.

However, Baffoe had reportedly not accepted the appointment before his name was announced.

According to Citi Sports, the former CAF deputy general secretary was not properly consulted about the role and has since informed the relevant authorities that he will not serve on the committee.

His decision is understood to be linked to concerns about the broader approach to football development in Ghana rather than a lack of commitment to the Black Stars or Ghanaian football.

Ghana have endured a difficult start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, losing 2-0 away to Côte d’Ivoire before suffering a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia in Accra.

The results leave the Black Stars bottom of Group C without a point after two matches.

Ghana will next face Somalia in November as they attempt to revive their qualification hopes after missing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Okraku has faced growing calls to resign following a string of disappointing results by Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars.

Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and have endured a difficult start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Côte d’Ivoire before losing 4-2 to The Gambia, leaving them bottom of Group C without a point from their opening two matches.

Ghana’s struggles have also extended to the youth teams, with the country missing out on qualification for several recent FIFA youth World Cup tournaments.

Despite the criticism directed at the GFA leadership, Arhin, popularly known as “Thunder”, has dismissed calls for Okraku to step down and pledged his backing for another term.

“Anyone who wants to contest Kurt Okraku is welcome, but I can assure you that it’ll be an exercise in futility,” Arhin told Sporty FM.

“If Kurt Okraku decides to contest, I’ll support his third-term bid. I even want more people to join the race, so they’ll lose their votes.

“A lot of people are sitting on the fence, waiting for Kurt Okraku to fail so that they jump in.

“I just want to tell them that if they’ve not joined us, they’ll sit on the fence till thy kingdom come.”

Okraku was first elected GFA president in October 2019 and secured a second term in 2023.

Kingston’s comments come after Ghana’s disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, with the Black Stars losing their opening two matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

The defeats have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point and facing the possibility of missing a second consecutive AFCON tournament.

Speaking to 3Sports, Kingston said playing regularly at club level should be a key consideration when selecting players for the national team.

“I will look at so many factors before you’re qualified for the senior national team. A senior national team player should be playing for a top 10 team in the world. If not, he must be extraordinary,” he said.

Kingston also stressed the importance of regular playing time, whether as a starter or substitute.

“Secondly, they are getting regular playing minutes; either starting or coming off the bench,” he added.

The former Ghana winger believes too many members of the current squad are struggling for regular opportunities at their clubs, which he says affects their performances with the Black Stars.

“Most of our players are bench warmers in their clubs. When you look at the top four teams at the World Cup, almost all the players, even those on the bench, are active players in their clubs,” Kingston said.

He added that a lack of regular football can become evident when players with different levels of match fitness and activity are brought together in the national team.

“When a player who is active plays with an inactive player on the same team, it automatically shows the forms. Because the more you play, the more your value and skill grow,” he said.

Kingston, who is currently head coach of Uganda’s Under-17 side, has also expressed interest in succeeding Carlos Queiroz as Ghana coach after the Portuguese resigned following the Black Stars’ poor start to the AFCON qualifiers.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, has established a five-member technical search committee to lead the process of appointing a new head coach.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

Ghana missed the 2025 AFCON in Morocco and are now at risk of missing the tournament again.

The Black Stars are scheduled to return to action next month when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana began their Group C campaign with defeats by Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, leaving their hopes of reaching the tournament in a difficult position.

Speaking on Sporty FM, Arhin questioned whether domestic-based players were being given enough opportunities to compete for places in the national team.

He specifically compared former Medeama midfielder Salim Adams with Black Stars midfielder Kwasi Sibo, asking whether the former could offer more to the national team.

“The ‘borgas’ in the Black Stars are not prepared to take us to the AFCON, so it’s time to focus on having more local players in the national team,” Arhin said.

“Is Salim Adams not better than Kwasi Sibo? We have to start using the local players and stop relying so much on the ‘borgas’.”

Arhin also questioned why Ghana’s foreign-based players appeared to perform differently during the World Cup qualifiers compared with the opening matches of the AFCON campaign.

“Just look at how they [foreign players] play in the World Cup qualifiers compared to the AFCON qualifiers,” he added.

Ghana will attempt to revive their qualification hopes when they face Somalia in a double-header in November.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA), together with the Ministry of Sports, has established a five-member committee to oversee the search for a new Black Stars head coach following the departure of Carlos Queiroz.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

The four-time African champions are seeking a return to the AFCON after missing the previous edition in Morocco.

The Portuguese coach was appointed on a short-term contract to replace Otto Addo ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Queiroz guided the Black Stars to the knockout stage of the tournament in North America, marking Ghana’s first appearance in the last 16 since the 2010 World Cup.

The GFA subsequently retained the veteran coach to lead the team into the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

However, Ghana’s poor start to the qualifying campaign led to the two parties mutually agreeing to end their relationship.

Asante Twum said Queiroz acknowledged the team’s lack of positive results and decided to move on.

“Carlos Queiroz admits that the results have not been great, and he has decided to move on,” he told Kessben FM.

The GFA and the Sports Ministry have since formed a five-member committee to identify a successor, with its report and recommendation due to be submitted on 9 October.

The Black Stars are bottom of Group C after losing their opening two matches against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, leaving them without a point.

Queiroz’s seven-match tenure ended with one win, two draws and four defeats.

Ghana will return to action in November with back-to-back matches against Somalia at the Accra Sports Stadium as they look to revive their AFCON qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars are seeking to avoid missing out on a second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco.

Lamptey’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of the GFA following Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars opened their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast before suffering another setback against The Gambia.

Ghana appeared to be in control after taking a 2-0 lead at the Accra Sports Stadium, but conceded four second-half goals to lose 4-2.

The results have left the four-time African champions without a point from their opening two matches and facing a difficult task to qualify for the tournament after missing the 2025 edition.

Lamptey, who won 38 caps for Ghana and represented the country at the 1992 Olympic Games, believes Okraku’s position has been made more difficult by those around him.

“I love Kurt Okraku, but he has created enemies for himself, and the enemies want his downfall,” Lamptey told 3Sports.

“Those around him are not helping him. Until Kurt realises that he has to change so many things, so many things will go against him. Everyone is complaining.”

The former Ghana forward also warned that divisions surrounding the GFA president were affecting the wider administration of Ghanaian football.

“When you create enemies for yourself, it affects the work that you are doing. That is what is happening to Ghana football now,” he added.

Lamptey’s comments come at a turbulent time for the Black Stars, with the GFA facing increased pressure over the team’s recent performances and the direction of the senior national side.

Following the defeats by Ivory Coast and The Gambia, Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz left his position as Black Stars head coach by mutual agreement.

The GFA is now searching for a new coach as Ghana attempts to revive its AFCON qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars’ next assignment is a double-header against Somalia in October, with both matches scheduled to be played at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana will need to win both games to improve their position in Group C and boost their hopes of returning to the continental tournament.

He believes the GFA’s search for a new Black Stars coach should go beyond tactical credentials and focus on finding someone with the personality and leadership qualities to bring the best out of the players.

According to Osei Fosu, the quality of players available to Ghana means the next coach should not focus solely on teaching basic football concepts, but rather on getting the players motivated and committed to executing his ideas on the pitch.

He believes players at the international level already possess the technical and tactical understanding required to perform basic tasks.

“I think they have to be appointing a coach who can inspire the players to play,” he stated.

Osei Fosu used Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus as examples, arguing that players of their calibre do not need to be taught basic aspects of the game such as making forward runs or playing progressive passes.

“Nobody in the world is now going to teach Semenyo how to make forward runs. Nobody is going to teach Kudus how to make a forward pass. It is about how you inspire them to play.”

The coach stressed that tactical instructions alone cannot guarantee a player’s commitment on the field.

He explained that a player who lacks the desire to make a run will not do so regardless of how well the coach has explained the movement, while a motivated player can often make the right decisions instinctively.

“If a player doesn’t want to run, no matter how much you have taught him where to run to, he will not make the run. But if a player is willing to make the run, even if you have not taught him, he will make a very good run.”

He noted that inspiration can come through different aspects of a coach’s work, including tactics, training methods and the way the coach relates to the players as individuals.

“If you don’t have a coach who can inspire players to play, inspiration to play can be using tactics, a tactical approach. It can even be your training session. It can be your personal approach towards human beings,” said Osei Fosu.

His comments come after Carlos Queiroz’s departure, with Ghana’s next game against Somalia scheduled for November 11, leaving the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with roughly six weeks to appoint a replacement and prepare the team. 

A five-member technical search committee has been set to scout for and recommend a new head coach for the Black Stars.

Speaking to Luv FM, Addae Mensah questioned the practicality of the process, particularly if the incoming coach is already contracted to another club or national team and is required to serve a notice period. He also stressed that the financial implications of appointing a new coach could significantly influence the final decision.

“From what has come out, it was not crucial. We have sacked the coach. We are playing a game on 11th November. So we have six weeks to a game.

“Then everybody talks about the next coach without talking about the budget. But there’s always the money thing that also pulls people back,” he noted.

Addae Mensah also raised concerns about the amount of time the eventual appointee would have to work with the players before Ghana’s next assignment.

“Coach will come in, let’s say, end of October or last but one week of October. Coach has arrived, but he has arrived. He has already have the team with him. Whoever the coach is, he is going to have barely one week with the team, and we go into the Somalia game,” he said.

Given the circumstances, Kojo Addae Mensah said he had considered an extreme alternative — Ghana withdrawing from the 2027 AFCON because there is no realistic chance of qualifying.

“My extreme suggestion was that we should even pull out of the whole AFCON,” he stated.

Black Stars are winless after two games, following defeats to Gambia and Ivory Coast, leaving them at the bottom in Group C.

Partey’s father, Jacob Partey, died last week after a short illness.

Al Shabab expressed its condolences to the Ghana international and his family, wishing them strength and patience during the difficult period.

Partey joined the Riyadh-based club on 12 August as the latest stage of a distinguished career in European football.

The 33-year-old began his senior career in Spain, where he played for Atlético Madrid and Villarreal, before moving to England to join Arsenal.

He spent last season with Villarreal, making 32 appearances in all competitions without scoring or providing an assist.

Al Shabab signed Partey to add experience, physical strength and technical quality to their midfield as they look to compete in the Saudi Pro League this season.

His immediate absence from the squad comes as he returns to Ghana to mourn his father and support his family.

Medeama secured all three points despite dealing with a number of injuries and facing a difficult away trip.

“We have a lot of injured players, but those who started today showed good character, and to win here is very important,” Tanko said after the match.

The victory moved Medeama to the top of the league table, with Tanko insisting his side are taking the campaign one match at a time as they look to retain their title.

“We are taking it one game at a time. Hopefully, if we win more games, we can retain the league title, and that is what we intend to do,” he added.

Tanko also revealed that the club’s busy schedule since their CAF Champions League exit had contributed to fatigue among the players.

Medeama have spent much of the period on the road and the coach said the squad would be given a short break to recover before preparations begin for their next fixture.

He also praised the players for their effort and thanked the club’s supporters for their backing, stressing the difficulty of securing victories away from home.

Goalkeeper? No — match-winner Nana Kwasi Barbel, who scored the decisive goal, said Medeama approach every match with the belief that they can win.

“We approach every game with a winning mentality, so I am not surprised that we were able to win at Debibi,” Barbel said.

The forward, who has had limited playing time this season, said he always tries to make an impact whenever he is given an opportunity.

“I have not had enough playing time, but whenever I am called upon to play, I try to give my best for the team,” he added.

Barbel admitted that scoring the winning goal had given him a timely confidence boost.

The victory leaves Medeama top of the Ghana Premier League standings and sets up a meeting with Hearts of Oak in their Matchday 6 fixture.

Now, with the Black Stars at the bottom of Group C after defeats to Ivory Coast and The Gambia, with coach Carlos Queiroz gone, and with the Sports Ministry and GFA in open confrontation, Ghana must sign it — immediately.

Ghana has NEVER signed it since 2007.

WHAT IS IT?

After global confusion over government interference vs FA autonomy, FIFA approved the Standard Cooperation Agreement on October 27, 2007, and circulated it to all 211 members on December 28, 2007, effective January 1, 2008.

Its purpose, as stated in FIFA’s own text, is to “define the remit and duties of the Football Association, the government body responsible for Sports and other bodies” and to “ensure better cooperation and partnership necessary for good governance and optimum development of football within FIFA Statutes.”

It does NOT give government control of football. It gives government a legal seat at the table when public money is spent.

During the 2014 Dzamefe Commission, member Geofrey Oteng-Arthur tendered the document. It revealed:

– Article 31(i): FA and government must meet to discuss how subsidies are managed.

– Article 39: An annual review meeting between FA and government, with a FIFA official invited if necessary.

In plain language: If you spend government money, you must account for it.

GHANA’S 19-YEAR FAILURE

As FIFA Normalisation Committee member Naa Odofoley Nortey revealed on GTV Sports+ in 2020: “Ghana has not signed the FIFA Standard Cooperation Agreement since its introduction in 2007. Both past and present Ministers have failed to append their signatures.”

Five Ministers of Youth and Sports, four GFA administrations, one World Cup visa scandal, and one Anas exposé later — still no signature. That is why we are here.

WHO SIGNED AND WHAT THEY GAINED

More than 150 countries have signed. They are not banned. They are developed.

– South Africa: Signed a cooperation agreement in 2024 for FIFA to establish a fully funded Regional Development Office in Johannesburg to serve Southern Africa.

– France & Rwanda, Morocco, Senegal: Signed agreements linking government investment in infrastructure with FIFA Forward funding, Football for Schools, and women’s football programmes.

– Qatar & Spain: Just signed a security cooperation agreement for World Cup 2030.

Result: Stadia built with state money, FIFA money protected, no threats of bans.

Ghana gets threats because we operate in a vacuum.

WHY GHANA MUST SIGN NOW — THE KOFI ADAMS FACTOR

On October 2, 2026, Sports Minister Kofi Iddie Adams issued 7 radical directives after meeting GFA President Kurt Okraku. The most important: “conclude and sign a FIFA-standard cooperation agreement aimed at formalising joint decision-making between the government and the GFA.”

Minister Adams understands what his predecessors did not. He told Max TV this week:

“Government is sponsoring it [Ghana Premier League] and intends to continue to sponsor up to a point that the clubs can be on their feet.

“Government is interested in building our domestic clubs and leagues.”

The facts back him:

– For 2025/26 and 2026/27, each of the 18 Premier League clubs received GH¢1 million in government support — GH¢18 million total.

– Champions prize money increased from GH¢500k to GH¢2m through government intervention.

– At the GFA Congress, Adams asked the critical question: “What did the 1 million Ghana Cedis build?” — demanding commercial departments, academies, medical systems, and club shops, not just season survival. 3104

If government is now the official sponsor of the Ghana Premier League, how can we operate without a legal cooperation agreement?

We cannot give GH¢18 million and then be told FIFA will ban us if we ask how it was spent. The SCA solves that.

Minister Adams himself said: “FIFA, in its statutes, has the Standard Corporate Agreement, so it creates space for the government, which spends money, to have a certain relationship with the GFA.”

He is right.

5 REASONS GHANA MUST SIGN IN 7 DAYS

1. It Protects Us From a FIFA Ban: Once signed, government oversight is not “interference” — it is part of a FIFA-recognised agreement.

2. Accountability: Article 31 gives the state legal power to audit Black Stars and GPL money. No more “missing” visa cash.

3. Joint Technical Control: No more unilateral coach appointments. The new National Technical Management Committee (2 government + 2 GFA) will have legal backing.

4. Development Money: Signed countries host FIFA offices and get infrastructure. Ghana, as a leading football nation, should host West Africa’s hub.

5. Trust: 5.3 million listeners on Adom/Asempa hear daily anger. A signed agreement tells Ghanaians football is no longer run like a secret society.

MY APPEAL

To Minister Kofi Adams: You have found the money for the league. Now find the pen. Sign the SCA before the Somalia double-header.

To GFA President Kurt Okraku: You agreed to work towards it in your communique. Don’t delay it. Signing does not weaken GFA — it strengthens your claim to government money and the accountability it comes with.

To Ghanaians: For 19 years, past Ministers refused because they feared FIFA. South Africa, Rwanda, and France signed and were not banned. They developed.

Ghana football is at a breaking point. The Gambia defeat was not just a loss; it was a national embarrassment that exposed the rot within the system.

The Standard Cooperation Agreement is the final nail in the coffin of FA unilateral control — and the first brick in rebuilding Ghana football.

Sign it now.

After the World Cup, Argentina’s Messi, 39, decided to retire from international football, while Ronaldo, 41, opted to play on for Portugal.

Yet there is the possibility that Messi’s Argentina career will end up lasting a few days longer – with a home friendly with Benin on Tuesday marked as his final game.

Ronaldo, furious at being made to warm up and not be brought on against Norway in the Nations League, walked out on the Portugal squad after finding out he would not start against Denmark either.

The Al-Nassr forward has scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for Portugal – both world records.

After such a high-profile falling-out with new boss Jorge Jesus, also a larger than life character who does not back down, Ronaldo is facing a big decision.

Jesus has insisted he would be welcome back if he wants to return and talks between Ronaldo, his representatives and the Portuguese FA are ongoing as they look for a solution.

While Ronaldo could not carry on playing forever, this is not how he would have expected his international career to end.

His fans are remaining loyal to him, with social media full of posts supporting Ronaldo and criticising Jesus, while on the other side some fans and a lot of Portugal’s media have been critical of what they see as selfish behaviour.

Ahead of Portugal’s next match against Denmark in November lies a big decision for one of the world’s greatest ever players.

What exactly happened?

It has all happened very quickly.

After the World Cup, Portugal replaced Roberto Martinez with Jesus, who had been Ronaldo’s boss with Al-Nassr last season.

Less than two weeks ago, Ronaldo said: “I had a conversation with our president, with our coach. I still believe that I’m able to help the national team to reach what they want.”

Things were still looking OK when he started in the 1-0 win over Wales.

Jesus told Ronaldo he would be on the bench for the next game against Norway. After being told to warm up for a period of the game, he remained an unused substitute in a Portugal game for the first time in 18 years.

Guillem Balague, who wrote a book about Ronaldo in 2015, said: “He gets asked to warm up for the whole of the second half, practically.

“There are tacit rules in football: you don’t do that to Pele, to Diego Maradona, to Lionel Messi, to Cristiano, right? That’s what he’s seen, that you don’t do that to those kind of players.”

And as the final whistle went he went down the tunnel instead of going to the fans with his team-mates.

Jesus said there was no falling out – but confirmed Ronaldo would not start the next game with Denmark either.

At that point Ronaldo left the training camp – and wrote on social media: “In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated.”

Portugal’s FA president Pedro Proenca flew to Copenhagen, landing at 02:30 in the morning, to try to smooth things over with Ronaldo but failed.

He has since said: “He is in the national team on sporting merit, and that must be unquestionable. We have to pay tribute to Ronaldo.”

After beating Norway on Sunday in their final Nations League match – again without Ronaldo – Jesus said: “If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team. We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide.

“He’s the one who should decide how he wants to end his time with the national team.”

What do the fans think?

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Some fans continue to support Cristiano Ronaldo

On several billboards in Lisbon posters went up praising Ronaldo and criticising Jesus.

They read, in Portuguese: “Thank you Cristiano Ronaldo for everything you did for Portugal. You will always be our captain.

“Jorge Jesus was not up to the task. Lack of sensitivity. Treating a captain wrongly. Inflated ego.”

One was placed next to the Estadio da Luz, home of Benfica – who Jesus managed to three league titles.

At the Denmark game, some fans wore T-shirts spelling out ‘Love you Jesus’ while others were head-to-toe in Ronaldo merch.

Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund, incidentally, celebrated his goal with his idol Ronaldo’s trademark ‘siuuu’ – something he has done previously when netting against Portugal.

Portugal’s newspapers had differing perspectives.

Record – who the forward owns shares in – said “Ronaldo leaves after clash with Jesus” and Jornal de Noticias said it was “the end of a historic era”.

“A sad goodbye,” said Bola, while Jogo went for “CR7 turns his back on the national team”.

Meanwhile, videos were posted online of angry fans ripping up their Portugal jerseys.

Jesus and Proenca were booed leaving a building in Copenhagen.

But many foreign fans purely supported Portugal because of Ronaldo – so they do not necessarily represent the views of actual Portuguese supporters.

Portugal fan Maria Ribeiro, from Lisbon, said: “It is so hard for all us fans. We all love him but it is getting too much now. It is hard to imagine Portugal without Ronaldo but maybe this is the time. There is too much arguing between ourselves.”

Would Portugal miss Ronaldo?

Would Portugal miss Ronaldo?

Opta • Stats correct on 5 October

Ronaldo’s search for a record 1,000 career goals remains on but will he have to finish that at club level in Saudi Arabia?

He has scored 979 times for Portugal, Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.

While his old rival Messi scored eight goals, and assisted four more, to take Argentina to the summer World Cup final – Portugal fell at the last-16 stage.

Ronaldo scored three goals in the tournament but failed to have an impact in their loss to Spain, leading BBC pundit Chris Sutton to say he was “waddling around the pitch like a grandad”.

Ronaldo’s former United team-mate Wayne Rooney added: “He is a genius, a superstar. What he has given to football and millions of people is something very rare.

“He will be disappointed because he believed he could win this tournament. But time gets us all. It’s a sad day for football.”

In the last nine years of Ronaldo’s international career, Portugal’s win percentage without him is slightly better – 66% to 63% – and they have scored 2.7 goals a game without him compared to 2.1 with him.

The two biggest wins in their history – 9-0 over Luxembourg and 9-1 against Armenia – came in the last two qualifying matches that he missed, both through suspension.

Journalist Marcus Alves, who covers Portugal, said: “How much gratitude is enough? That’s a question that Portuguese fans have been asking for a few years now.

“The whole soap opera that seems to follow the mere presence of the 41-year-old striker got to a point where patience was running out.

“Of Portugal’s last five coaches, Ronaldo had issues with four of them – Carlos Queiroz, Paulo Bento, Fernando Santos and now Jesus. That’s too much distraction when Portugal have arguably their best generation ever.”

Third seed Medvedev trailed Djokovic 7-5 5-3 when the Serb hit a winner beyond him for 15-15.

The ball ricocheted off the back of the court and Medvedev swiped at a backhand in annoyance, sending the ball into the air and hitting a spectator who was sitting in the front row of the stand behind him.

The fan doubled over holding his face and was still holding his eye as he was helped out of the arena.

After speaking with umpire Mohamed Lahyani and an ATP official, Russia’s Medvedev approached the net to shake hands with Djokovic.

“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all,” Medvedev said.

“I’m trying to get in touch with him, if he wants it. Hopefully I can apologise in person and see how he feels.

“I just hope he’s OK. That’s the most important. I just really care about him right now.”

Djokovic – who was defaulted from the 2020 US Open for a similar incident – expressed sympathy for the fan and Medvedev afterwards.

“It’s a bit of a shock to be honest. I hope that person is not badly injured,” he said.

“I also feel sorry for Daniil. I know exactly how he feels to be disqualified in a big match.

“I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally.”

What is a default in tennis?

Image source: Reuters

Image caption: Medvedev said afterwards he was “terribly sorry” for the incident

Defaults in tennis are rare and only occur when players violate the sport’s code of conduct.

Violations include ball abuse, physical or verbal abuse, or racquet abuse. Players can receive three code violations and then be disqualified if they receive another, but Medvedev’s offence was serious enough to instantly default him.

He will now lose the points and prize money he had earned in Beijing.

The 30-year-old is a combustible character who has struggled to control his emotions throughout his career.

He had a meltdown at last year’s US Open when a photographer walked on court, and was fined almost £31,500 ($42,500) for his behaviour.

In April, he obliterated a racquet after losing 6-0 6-0 at the Monte Carlo Masters and was again fined for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Medvedev told BBC Sport in 2025 that he was attempting to work on his on-court behaviour.

“When I’m on the court I hate to lose; I love to win. My first goal is to win the match, so it brings a lot of adrenaline out and it brings all the energy out,” he said.

“Sometimes it is a good energy. Sometimes it is a bad one.”

The default brought an early end to an excellent contest, with 39-year-old Djokovic having played superbly to outlast an opponent nine years his junior.

Djokovic saved 16 of the 18 break points he faced and will go on to play Alex de Minaur in Tuesday’s final.

Djokovic has a 33-0 record at the China Open, having won the title six times.

He has won at least one title a year since 2006 – but Tuesday will be his first final since the Australian Open, where he lost to then world number one Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.

He reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner, but lost in the third round of the French Open before suffering a shock first-round exit at the US Open.

Elsewhere, defending champion Alcaraz overcame fluctuations in form to beat Jaume Munar and reach the Japan Open final.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion struggled on serve throughout but gradually upped his level to win 5-7 6-3 6-1.

Spain’s Alcaraz led 5-3 in the first set and served for it before losing 16 consecutive points to squander the opener.

He will face Jiri Lehecka in the final after the Czech beat Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot 6-4 6-2.

“The club’s income was hugely overstated by over £830 million.”

In other words, Manchester City’s owners circumvented the league’s financial regulations over a number of years by pumping money into the club that should not have been recorded as sponsorship income.

The damning judgement landed less than five days after Manchester United’s extended filing to the New York Stock Exchange, which detailed their end-of-year accounts to 30 June 2026.

Contained within it was an interest payment of £37m, an increase from £34m the previous year.

And respected football finance blogger Swiss Ramble now estimates that United’s net interest payments since the leveraged Glazer takeover of the club in 2005 have risen to a total of £852m.

Without excusing City’s owners in any way, it has not escaped the attention of many fans from both Manchester clubs that while the arrival of one ownership group in the city resulted in money being ploughed in, it meant a similar significant sum being paid out in interest for the other.

Maintaining financial discipline

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Carlos Baleba is yet to make his first team debut for Manchester United

United’s latest accounts included this comment from chief executive Omar Berrada: “While these results confirm that we are on the right trajectory, we will continue to take a disciplined approach to ensure our finances remain sustainable.”

This came after a third-place finish in the Premier League, which confirmed a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence.

Record revenues of £677.6m, projected to go as high as £760m in 2026-27, are something to celebrate.

Yet Berrada’s cautious stance underlined a few home truths.

In confirming they had spent £191.7m on new players- notably Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans- and costs associated with them, plus academy players such as England youth international Tynan Thompson, since 30 June, with payments due ‘in the next five years’. United also revealed they had borrowed an additional £90m. It took their overall debt to £1.15bn.

To put that into context, in accounts to June 2021, the comparable sum was £667m.

Prior to 30 June, United’s transfer debt was £375m. Of that, £218m must be paid before 30 June 2027. United have also said in addition to Baleba, Santos and Tielemans, they are liable for another £122.8m in potential contract payments if players they have already signed hit pre-agreed targets – although presumably the club would be happy if they ended up paying this.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Radek Vitek’s move to Middlesbrough could eventually net Manchester United £14m

When they restructured their debt in June, United added $125m (£94.36m) to their main debt. On 23 September, they said £63.5m had been spent on land for their proposed new stadium, the precise funding model for which is still to be determined.

Many fans, particularly those who do not want a new stadium, feel that money would have been better invested in Michael Carrick’s squad.

Yet, as Berrada said, United are taking a ‘disciplined approach’ on that.

In 2025, United had the fifth-highest wage bill in the Premier League, at £313m. The absence of European football means that sum dropped to £302m in 2025-26. No other clubs have released their figures yet, but it would be a major surprise if United climbed any higher, meaning Carrick over-achieved by finishing third. United’s wages to turnover ratio is 45%. No club had a better figure than that last season.

While there are variables and also notable exceptions, including the Old Trafford outfit themselves who over the past decade, have topped the annual salary cost table but not the actual Premier League, and in 2024-25 finished 15th despite those fifth highest wage costs, there is a general correlation between salaries and performance.

Yet, while United were relatively restrained on the transfer front in terms of spending this summer – their £148m outlay was below that of newly-promoted Ipswich and Hull among others – their recent net spend has been high. The reason for this is clear.

When the most recent transfer window closed on 1 September, they had generated £47m from sales. It put them 11th in the Premier League. Only Liverpool of their ‘big six’ rivals brought in less.

Since they sold striker Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan for £74m in 2019, United have only generated more than £25m for a player on four occasions – for Mason Greenwood, Scott McTominay, Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho.

It was instructive this summer that a series of young players were sold, either for a lower fee than anticipated in the cases of Radek Vitek and Toby Collyer, who joined Middlesbrough and West Brom respectively, or none, like defenders Tyler Fredricson and James Overy. In all cases though, the transfers included significant sell-on and buy-back clauses, which is part of a strategy by United to generate more revenue from player sales.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Manchester United fans held their latest protest against the club’s ownership before the home defeat by Manchester City on 13 September

In June 2023, Premier League clubs voted to cap future leveraged buyouts at around 65% of a club’s value. The move seemed to be in response to ALK Capital’s takeover of Burnley in December 2020.

Many United fans feel the move was 18 years too late.

The negativity around Manchester City’s scandal has indirectly shone a light on the situation at Old Trafford.

Given there is little realistic chance of the substantive debt being paid off, Berrada and his colleagues must navigate the tricky balance of keeping costs under control, trimming the outstanding transfer fees, not extending the revolving credit limit and funding a new stadium – all while spending enough to deliver on the pitch.

In 2017-18, United made £80m in prize money from their run to the Champions League quarter-finals. In 2024-25, they got £31m for reaching the Europa League final. In their recently negotiated shirt deal with Adidas, a £10m annual reduction is applied if the club miss out on reaching the Champions League.

When Carrick sends his team out against bottom-club Tottenham at Old Trafford on 10 October, they will be attempting to drag themselves up from 12th place in the table.

The overall target is undefined, but it is pretty clear Champions League qualification will be a significant part of it.

The FDF said police first occupied its national technical centre at about 5.30pm on Sunday, without presenting an administrative document or court order. According to the federation, on Monday a much larger police contingent ordered Waberi, members of the executive committee, staff and other federation members to leave the premises.

The FDF said 16 club presidents then entered the building under police escort and proceeded to hold what it described as a “purported” EGM. The federation rejected the meeting as illegitimate, saying it had not been properly convened and that the notice periods and procedures required under its statutes and electoral code had not been respected. It declared any decisions taken “null and void”. But sources in Djibouti have insisted the number of delegates required by the statutes was present. They unanimously voted to remove Waberi and the executive committee before establishing an interim committee to oversee the federation.

The confrontation follows weeks of mounting opposition to Waberi, a member of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) executive committee as well as Fifa’s council and a close ally of Gianni Infantino. At the start of September, a coalition of 27 clubs announced its intention to vote on the removal of the executive committee and insisted it had secured the two-thirds support required under the federation’s statutes.

The FDF disputed that calculation, saying it has 67 members and that 45 – not 27 – would be required to trigger an extraordinary assembly. The dispute escalated as additional clubs and delegates joined the campaign against the executive committee. The government then intervened, with the secretary of state for sport, Fatouma Ali Abdallah, ordering the FDF to convene an extraordinary general assembly within 72 hours.

The FDF has appealed to Fifa and Caf, arguing that the use of state security forces to remove elected officials could constitute interference in the affairs of a national football association. It warned that the consequences could include suspension, exclusion of Djiboutian clubs and national teams from international competitions, and a freeze on development programmes and funding. The Guardian has requested a comment from Fifa.

It is understood Waberi and several other officials could be facing charges this week after a police investigation of the FDF related to suspected embezzlement and money laundering was completed. They were arrested in September 2024 after a government inspection of the FDF identified financial and administrative irregularities, including weaknesses in procurement, cash management and financial controls. The government’s investigation also raised concerns about anomalies in payments to third parties, failure to pay tax on salaries and wages, and “misuse of cash payments” totalling almost £500,000. The police then carried out its investigation.

Waberi has denied wrongdoing. He said in August after the FDF was accused by a club official of misusing funds that Fifa’s “monitoring mechanisms have revealed no indication of wrongdoing regarding the funds it disbursed”.

His comments come after Sports Minister Kofi Iddie Adams confirmed that the government was providing financial support for the new Premier League season.

Adams said the funding was intended to help clubs become financially sustainable and reduce their reliance on government support in the future.

However, Arhin says the money was secured by the GFA with government assistance and that the association will be responsible for repaying the loan.

“The GH¢1 million given to each Ghana Premier League club was not given to us by the government. It was a loan secured by the GFA and facilitated by the government. The GFA is going to pay it back,” he told Sporty FM.

The GFA announced the GH¢1m package for each of the 18 Premier League clubs before the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

The money was intended to help clubs meet their operational costs and provide financial support as they begin the new season.

The difference in the descriptions of the funding means the government and GFA’s respective roles in securing and repaying the money remain a key point of clarification.

Okraku, who has led the GFA since 2019, has faced mounting criticism following the Black Stars’ recent struggles, with former players and football administrators calling for changes at the association.

Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign has intensified the pressure.

The Black Stars lost 2-0 to Ivory Coast in their opening Group C match before surrendering a two-goal lead to suffer a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia in Accra, leaving them without a point from their first two matches.

However, Arhin says Okraku continues to enjoy strong support from clubs and administrators.

“As football clubs and football administrators, we’re so much in love with Kurt Okraku for everything he’s done for us,” Arhin told Sporty FM.

He pointed to what he described as significant financial and logistical support provided to clubs under Okraku’s administration.

“When it comes to the normal GFA work, Kurt Okraku is on top,” he said.

“Who thought that we’d wake up one morning and get GHC1 million? Division One clubs would have GHC120,000, boots, footballs, jerseys and free fuel coupons.”

The Black Stars’ poor start to the AFCON qualifiers also contributed to Carlos Queiroz’s departure as head coach.

The GFA, together with the Ministry of Sports have since established a five-member committee to identify his successor.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry by 9 October, with the Black Stars scheduled to return to action in November for a double-header against Somalia.

Okraku and his administration have faced mounting criticism following Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars have lost their opening two Group C matches, suffering a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast before surrendering a two-goal lead in a 4-2 loss to The Gambia.

The results have left Ghana bottom of the group without a point and increased calls for major changes within the country’s football administration.

However, Arhin believes the performance of the senior national team should be separated from the GFA’s broader responsibilities.

“I don’t see why people should use Black Stars as a yardstick to measure Kurt Okraku,” he told Sporty FM.

The Aduana FC administrator argued that the GFA is primarily responsible for overseeing the country’s national teams, while the state also has a role to play in funding and supporting them.

“It’s high time we decouple the work of the GFA from that of the national team. The GFA is just a custodian of the national team; all national teams belong to the state,” he said.

Arhin also praised Okraku for his support for clubs, particularly the recent financial assistance given to teams in the Ghana Premier League.

“Football clubs and administrators, we are so much in love with Kurt Okraku for the things he has done for us; who would have thought we’d wake up one morning and be given GHS 1m to develop our clubs?” he added.

He maintained that Okraku had performed well in the GFA’s core administrative duties and said greater state investment was needed to support the national teams.

“When it comes to the normal GFA work, Kurt is on top; the national teams belong to the state, and they need to invest,” Arhin said.

The Black Stars must now recover from their difficult start when they face Somalia in a double-header in November as they seek to revive their qualification hopes.

Meanwhile, the GFA has established a five-member committee to lead the search for a new head coach following the departure of Carlos Queiroz.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

Ghana have no points from their first two Group C matches, leaving their hopes of reaching the tournament in serious doubt.

The Black Stars opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake before throwing away a two-goal lead in a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Panwum believes the Black Stars represent the Ghanaian people and says those responsible for the national team must be held accountable.

“The Black Stars belong to the Ghanaian people. They are not the property of the GFA, the government, a political party or any individual,” Panwum told Graphic Sports.

“Ghana football deserves better. The Black Stars deserve better, and the Ghanaian football supporter deserves accountability,” he added.

The disappointing start to the qualifying campaign was followed by the departure of head coach Carlos Queiroz, who stepped down from his position after the two defeats.

A five-member committee has since been established to recommend a new head coach, with its report expected to be submitted to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

Ghana now face a difficult task to revive their qualification campaign and secure a place at the 2027 AFCON finals.

The four-time African champions will return to action in October with a double-header against Somalia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana are aiming to return to the continental tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

Speculation has grown in recent months that Ayew could enter football administration and eventually seek to lead the country’s governing body after his playing career.

However, Agyemang-Badu, who played alongside Ayew for several years with the Black Stars, says he has no knowledge of such ambitions.

Speaking to Pulse Ghana, the former Udinese midfielder said it would be difficult to rule out any possibility about Ayew’s future.

“When I was growing up, my dad told me that there is no position that, if people said you need to contest or take, I should say, ‘No, no, no, I don’t want it’. I don’t know tomorrow,” Agyemang-Badu said.

“What I say today, tomorrow people will use it against you.

“Even me right now, if you tell me I will be President in Ghana, I will say yes, it’s possible. Because after 10, 15 or 20 years, I don’t know.”

Agyemang-Badu also referred to comments from former Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel, who has previously spoken highly of Ayew’s leadership qualities.

“If somebody says something about Andre Dede Ayew, Mikel Obi is a well-experienced guy. He knows Andre very well. Maybe he has seen something about him,” he added.

Despite the speculation, Agyemang-Badu stressed that he had not discussed any potential GFA presidential ambitions with Ayew.

“For him standing at the FA as president, I don’t know. I don’t know his ambitions. If he wants to stand, it’s free,” he said.

“Tomorrow I can even pick forms, provided that the laws of the game fit me to be a contestant. There’s absolutely nothing wrong.

“I don’t know his ambitions for now. But somebody like Mikel Obi, if he has brought something up like this and speaks highly of Andre Dede Ayew, it’s a plus for him.

“The D-Day will come, and we will see what will happen.”

Both Andre Ayew and Agyemang Badu were instrumental in Ghana winning the U-20 World Cup against Brazil in 2009.

Saani Daara said he was disappointed to see Okraku defend himself on radio following criticism from a Member of Parliament, arguing that such issues should be handled by the GFA’s communication team or other officials.

“Every time there’s a crisis, it’s Kurt Okraku on the radio explaining. I was hurt when Kurt was on the radio defending himself against the MP’s statement,” he told Asempa FM.

The former GFA communications chief also urged Okraku to recognise that some issues require a different approach, particularly when they involve comments from MPs.

“I also want to draw the attention of my brother [Kurt Okraku] to the fact that some issues are no-go areas,” he said.

“I say this because the MPs are the lawmakers in this country, and even if they say something that isn’t right, there are people at the FA whose job is to address these concerns.”

Saani Daara believes members of the GFA Executive Council and the association’s communications team should take greater responsibility for defending the organisation and responding to criticism.

He pointed to the administration of former GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi as an example of a period when communication responsibilities were delegated to designated officials.

“The EXCO members are not helping because if it were Kwesi Nyantakyi’s era, the communications staff would be on the radio addressing the issues,” he said.

“The EXCO members seem to have left every job on his shoulders.”

His comments come amid growing scrutiny of the GFA following the Black Stars’ poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Ghana have lost their opening two Group C matches, suffering a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake before surrendering a two-goal lead in a 4-2 loss to The Gambia in Accra.

The disappointing start to the qualifiers was followed by the departure of head coach Carlos Queiroz, who stepped down from his position after the two defeats.

A five-member committee has since been established to oversee the search for a new head coach, with its report expected to be submitted to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October, before the team reassembles in November to take on Somalia in a doubleheader at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana have lost their opening two Group C matches, prompting calls for sweeping changes within the country’s football administration.

Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye and Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George are among those who have backed calls for the GFA to be dissolved.

But Thompson believes such a move could create further problems because of FIFA’s rules on government interference in football administration.

“Something has to be done about the GFA,” Thompson told Joy FM.

“Meet them, sit down with them and see how best you can help them solve the problems that they have.”

Thompson said he would not support Ghana entering another period of football normalisation, which could follow any attempt to dissolve the GFA.

Instead, he called on Sports Minister Kofi Adams to bring together the key stakeholders, potentially with the involvement of Parliament’s Committee on Youth and Sports, to find a solution to the crisis.

He pointed to previous meetings in Winneba and other interventions in which people from outside football were brought in to help resolve disputes.

“The GFA must accept that they have problems and be willing to accept help,” he said.

Thompson also raised concerns about the process used to select the Black Stars squad for the opening two AFCON qualifiers.

He claimed the Black Stars Management Committee did not meet to consider the squad before it was announced.

“Some of the committee members told me: ‘We don’t have anything to do with this list. We’ve washed our hands off the list,'” he said.

According to Thompson, the committee had previously reviewed proposed squads, questioned the coach and consulted the medical team before the final list was approved.

He said that process was not followed ahead of the matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

“I found a complete disconnect between members of the Black Stars management team and some members of the GFA,” Thompson said.

He added that he had sent messages on 23 September, a day before Ghana’s opening qualifier against Ivory Coast, warning about problems within the team’s management structure.

Thompson also questioned how several players were able to withdraw from the squad after being called up.

“How can you call players and then they withdraw?” he asked.

“Who issued the list and what medical checks were done before the list was released?”

The Black Stars have yet to earn a point in Group C after losing their opening two matches.

Ghana began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake before surrendering a two-goal lead in a 4-2 home loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The four-time African champions are bottom of the group and are attempting to return to the tournament after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

The poor start was followed by the departure of head coach Carlos Queiroz, who stepped down after the two defeats.

A five-member committee has since been established to oversee the search for a new head coach, with its report due to be submitted to the Sports Ministry on 9 October.

Ghana will return to AFCON qualifying action in November with back-to-back matches against Somalia.

The GFA confirmed on October 1 that it had mutually parted ways with the 73-year-old Portuguese coach following Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars have lost both of their opening Group C matches and are yet to pick up a point.

Ghana opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake before suffering a 4-2 loss to The Gambia in Accra.

The Black Stars had taken a 2-0 lead in the second match but conceded four times in the second half to leave their qualification hopes under serious pressure.

Asante Twum said Queiroz was particularly concerned that Ghana did not have a dedicated training base for the national team.

“One of the reasons why Carlos Queiroz has left his role is the lack of infrastructure in the country,” he told Kessben FM.

“Carlos Queiroz was surprised to find out that the Black Stars do not have a camp base where the team trains.

“He complained that he had never seen before that a national team does not have a camp base.”

Asante Twum said Queiroz was also unhappy that the Black Stars use the same venue for both training and competitive matches.

“He was disappointed to find out that where the team plays is the same place the team trains,” he added.

“He believes that it affects the team and does not help in getting a proper pitch, but the situation is that we have only one approved stadium, and he gave a scientific basis for his reasons.”

A five-member committee has been established to oversee the search for Queiroz’s successor, with its report expected to be submitted to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

Ghana will return to 2027 AFCON qualifying action in October with a double-header against Somalia. Both matches are scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Black Stars are attempting to return to the continental tournament after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

The 2027 edition will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Lamptey’s comments come after the Black Stars made a disastrous start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

Ghana, four-time African champions, opened their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast before suffering another setback against The Gambia.

The Black Stars looked set to secure their first win when they took a two-goal lead against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

However, they collapsed in the second half to lose 4-2, leaving them without a point from their opening two matches and placing their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 tournament under serious pressure.

Lamptey, who represented Ghana at the 1992 Olympic Games and the 1996 AFCON, believes the problems affecting the national team are part of wider issues within Ghana football.

“I love Kurt Okraku, but he has created enemies for himself, and the enemies want his downfall,” he told 3Sports.

“Those around him are not helping him. Until Kurt realises that he has to change so many things, so many things will go against him. Everyone is complaining.

“When you create enemies for yourself, it affects the work that you are doing. That is what is happening to Ghana football now.”

The GFA has faced serious backlash following Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON and the team’s poor start to the current qualifying campaign.

Ghana missed the previous edition of the continental tournament for the first time in more than two decades after finishing bottom of their qualifying group.

The back-to-back defeats have intensified pressure on the GFA and the national team, with calls from several quarters for changes to Ghana football’s administrative and technical structures.

The GFA is also searching for another head coach after Carlos Queiroz left his position by mutual agreement following the Black Stars’ poor start to the qualifiers.

The Portuguese coach was appointed earlier this year with the task of guiding Ghana to the 2026 World Cup and 2027 AFCON.

His departure has left the Black Stars without a permanent head coach, with the GFA expected to appoint a replacement.

A five-member committee has been established to oversee the search for a new coach, with its report due to be submitted to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9th October.

Ghana’s next AFCON qualifying assignments will come in October when they face Somalia in a double-header.

Both matches are scheduled to be played at the Accra Sports Stadium, with the Black Stars needing a significant improvement in results to revive their campaign and remain in contention for qualification.

Adams said the government’s financial support was aimed at helping Premier League clubs become financially sustainable and eventually operate without relying heavily on state funding.

The intervention comes as the Ghana Premier League continues to operate without a major commercial title sponsor, leaving clubs with limited financial backing in recent years.

Speaking to Max TV, Adams said government support would continue until clubs were in a position to manage their finances independently.

“Government is sponsoring it (GPL) and intends to continue to sponsor up to a point that the clubs can be on their feet,” Adams said.

The Buem MP said the government’s plans extended beyond providing short-term financial assistance to the top flight.

“Government is interested in building our domestic clubs and leagues,” he added.

The government’s involvement in the league was previously announced at the launch of the broadcaster for the 2025/26 season, when Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku disclosed the state’s investment in the competition.

Ahead of the 2026/27 season, each of the 18 Premier League clubs received GH¢1 million in government support.

The funding is intended to help clubs meet their operational costs while improving their financial stability and supporting the wider development of domestic football.

Adams indicated that once clubs become sufficiently self-sustaining, government resources could be redirected towards other areas of football development.

The 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season began in September, with 18 clubs competing for the league title.

Ghana are bottom of Group C without a point after losing their opening two matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

The Black Stars began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake before suffering a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana had taken a 2-0 lead in the second match but conceded four goals to suffer another damaging defeat.

The results have increased pressure on the GFA and head coach Carlos Queiroz, who mutually parted ways with the association on 1 October following the disappointing start.

GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the association understood the frustration among supporters and accepted responsibility for the team’s current situation.

“It is normal for the Ghana Football Association to be blamed for Black Stars’ poor start to the AFCON qualifiers,” Mr Asante Twum told Kessben FM.

“No one can blame GPRTU for the team’s poor start, and GFA fully accepts the anger of Ghanaians. I also admit that we are not in normal times, but the leadership takes full responsibility for the current state of affairs.

“We cannot do everything alone because we will need the support of all stakeholders,” he added.

The GFA has since established a five-member committee to oversee the search for a new Black Stars head coach.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on 9 October.

Ghana now face a difficult task to revive their qualification hopes, with the Black Stars scheduled to play Somalia in a double-header in October. Both matches will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The 2027 AFCON will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Ghana are seeking to return to the continental tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco.

Ghana are currently without a substantive head coach following the resignation of Carlos Queiroz after the team’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The Black Stars sit bottom of Group C without a point after losing their opening two matches.

Ghana began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Côte d’Ivoire before surrendering a two-goal lead to suffer a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

With the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Sports Ministry having constituted a five-member committee to find a new coach, Yorke has expressed his desire to be considered for the position.

“It is a job that most top coaches will be interested in because of the history of Ghanaian football,” Yorke exclusively told Asempa FM.

“I have friends like Sammy Kuffour, and he speaks highly of Ghanaian football, and so I am very much interested in the Ghana coaching job,” he added.

The five-member search committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.

The Black Stars are scheduled to return to action in November when they face Somalia in a double-header in the AFCON qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Yorke was a key member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side that won the historic treble in the 1998-99 season. He formed a prolific attacking partnership with fellow striker Andy Cole during his time at Old Trafford.

The 54-year-old holds a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification in European football, having completed his coaching education while working with Manchester United’s youth set-up at Carrington. He also holds UEFA A and B licences.

Yorke began his senior managerial career with Australian A-League club Macarthur FC in July 2022 and guided the Bulls to their first Australia Cup title in his debut season.

He was appointed head coach of Trinidad and Tobago in November 2024, taking charge of the country he represented and captained at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

His tenure ended in March 2026 after Trinidad and Tobago failed to qualify for the World Cup, with Yorke recording four wins in 18 matches.

The decision was reached following a meeting between the leadership of the GFA and the Ministry in Accra on Friday, 2 October 2026.

The committee will be chaired by former GFA vice-president Fred Pappoe, who brings extensive experience in football administration and governance.

He will be joined by Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) general secretary Anthony Baffoe, legal practitioner and football administrator Agbesi Dzakpasu, former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, and FIFA high-performance specialist Faisal Chibsah.

The committee has been tasked with identifying, assessing and recommending a suitable candidate for the vacant Black Stars coaching position.

It is expected to submit its report to the GFA by Friday, 9 October.

The Black Stars job became vacant on Thursday, 1 October, following the resignation of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz.

Queiroz stepped down after Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the Black Stars losing their opening two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and Gambia.

The GFA and the Sports Ministry are expected to appoint a new coach before the Black Stars’ next international assignment in November.

Ghana are scheduled to face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium as their bid to qualify for the 2027 AFCON continues.

The directives were agreed at a high-level meeting between the ministry and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Friday, 2 October.

Queiroz resigned after Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the Black Stars losing their opening two Group C matches.

Ghana began with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast before surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The results leave the four-time African champions without a point from their first two matches.

Under the new seven measures, the ministry has directed the dissolution of the Black Stars’ technical team and all existing national team management committees.

A National Technical Management Committee is to be established, comprising two government-appointed experts and two nominees from the GFA.

The GFA has also been directed not to appoint the next Black Stars coach without consulting the new committee.

The existing national team management structure is also to be replaced by two committees – one responsible for men’s football and another for women’s football.

The ministry has further called for state-provided accommodation for the Black Stars head coach to be restored.

Another directive seeks to consolidate Ghana’s national youth team structure, with the government expected to participate in the selection of development coaches for the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 teams.

The seventh measure calls for the ministry and GFA to conclude and sign a FIFA-standard cooperation agreement aimed at establishing joint decision-making between the two institutions.

The changes come as Ghana face the possibility of missing a second successive Africa Cup of Nations tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 finals in Morocco.

The GFA is now expected to work within the proposed structure as Ghana seeks to revive its qualifying campaign and appoint a successor to Queiroz.

The Black Stars are expected to return to action next month in a double-header in the AFCON qualifiers, with both matches scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana are seeking to return to the continental tournament after missing the 2025 edition.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Fixtures were played on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with Medeama SC, FC Samartex, Port City FC and Aduana FC occupying the top four positions after another round of action.

At the Baba Yara Stadium on Thursday, Asante Kotoko returned to winning ways with a narrow 1-0 victory over Karela United.

Isaac Opoku Agyemang scored the only goal of the game with an early first-half strike to give the Porcupine Warriors all three points.

There were goalless draws at both the University of Ghana Sports Stadium and the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex.

Dreams FC were held to a 0-0 draw by Hearts of Oak, while Vision FC and defending champions Bibiani Gold Stars also shared the spoils after failing to find the net.

Aduana FC continued their impressive start to the campaign with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Swedru All Blacks at the Nana Agyemang Badu Park.

The visitors took the lead after just four minutes through Williams Dankwah, but Stephen Amankona restored parity for Aduana in the 38th minute to send the teams into the break level.

Amankona completed the comeback in the 86th minute when he converted from the penalty spot to secure victory for the two-time Premier League champions.

Swedru All Blacks were reduced to 10 men after Zayat Abubakari was sent off.

At the AAK II Park, Basake Holy Stars edged Berekum Chelsea 1-0, with Francis Asante scoring in the sixth minute to settle the contest.

Defending champions Medeama SC also secured an important away victory, beating debutants Debibi United 1-0 at the Debibi Presby Park.

After a goalless first half, Nana Kofi Babil broke the deadlock in the 69th minute to hand Medeama all three points as they moved to the top of the league log.

There was an entertaining contest at the Kpando Stadium, where Heart of Lions defeated 10-man FC AshantiGold 3-2.

William Oduro opened the scoring for AshantiGold in the 19th minute, but Raphael Kwame Junior Ankamah equalised three minutes later.

Francis Odoom then put Heart of Lions ahead in the 36th minute before Oduro restored parity with his second goal two minutes later, leaving the score at 3-1 at half-time.

Ankamah scored his second goal after the break to reduce the deficit, but Heart of Lions held on for a 3-2 victory.

Port City FC also claimed a statement win in their debut Premier League campaign, defeating Bechem United 3-1 at the Daasebre Boamah Darko II Park.

Hamza Zakari gave the home side the lead in the 18th minute before Owusu Ansah doubled their advantage in the 34th minute.

Francis Acquah pulled one back for Bechem United in the 53rd minute, but Port City responded almost immediately, with Ansah completing his brace three minutes later to seal a 3-1 victory.

At the Nsenkyire Sports Complex, FC Samartex defeated Young Apostles 1-0, with Christian Agyenim Boateng scoring in the 45th minute to secure maximum points for the home side.

Following the conclusion of Matchday Five, Medeama SC lead the standings, with FC Samartex, Port City FC and Aduana FC completing the top four.

At the other end of the table, Berekum Chelsea, Young Apostles and Dreams FC occupy the relegation places as the battle for survival begins to take shape.

Full Time Results

Asante Kotoko 1-0 Karela United

Dreams FC 0-0 Hearts of Oak

Vision FC 0-0 Bibiani Gold Stars

Aduana FC 2-1 Swedru All Blacks 

Basake Holy Stars 1-0 Berekum Chelsea 

Debibi United 0-1 Medeama SC

Heart of Lions 3-2 FC AshantiGold 

Port City FC 3-1 Bechem United

FC Samartex 1-0 Young Apostles 

The 41-year-old captain left their Nations League camp after being an unused substitute against Norway and then finding out he would not start against Denmark.

Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 Portugal appearances – both world records.

After leaving the camp he wrote on social media: “In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated.”

Jesus, for his part, had always said he planned to discuss the issue after the last of his side’s four Nations League games against Norway on Sunday. A 2-1 victory sealed a place in the last eight for the competition’s defending champions.

Jesus – who also managed Ronaldo at Al-Nassr – said: “If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team.

“We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide.

“Cristiano should end his time in the national team the way he wants, he’s the one who will decide how he wants it.

“In my first call-up, I said, ‘I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you’. And now I’m saying the same thing.”

Portugal host Denmark in their next Group A4 tie on 14 November, before visiting Wales three days later.

Ronaldo started the 1-0 opening-game win over Wales, but he was named as a substitute in Norway and told he may or may not come on. He was apparently angered at being made to warm up during the second half – and then not brought on.

It was the first time the ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid forward had been an unused substitute for his country in a competitive game since 2008.

When Jesus announced in a news conference Ronaldo would not start against Denmark either, the veteran left the camp.

AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos has scored in all three starts with Ronaldo out of the team.

After Sunday’s success against Norway which put them six points clear of second-placed Denmark in the table, goalscorer Joao Cancelo told RTP: “Cristiano is our captain, the best player Portugal has ever had.

“Things will certainly end in the best way [with him] but the important thing is the four victories.”

Team-mate Nuno Mendes added: “Any player who comes to the national team is welcome, obviously. If Cris returns, we’ll be here to receive him with open arms.”

Ronaldo, one of football’s all-time greats with five Ballon d’Or awards, has helped Portugal win Euro 2016 and two Nations Leagues.

The Manchester City striker beckoned to the bench to be substituted in the 67th minute of the Group A4 tie.

With seven goals so far this season, the club will await further news as they prepare for a trip to Liverpool on Sunday in the Premier League.

It will be their first game since they were found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. City have lodged an appeal.

Haaland and Norway suffered a third successive Nations League defeat on Sunday as Goncalo Ramos scored a late winner for Portugal, who booked their place in the last eight.

The hosts had to come from behind after the visitors took a 36th-minute lead.

Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer controlled Martin Odegaard’s cross on his chest before hitting a sweet half-volley into the top corner from the edge of the box.

But two minutes later Joao Cancelo smashed home a stunning shot on the bounce from a similar distance from Nuno Mendes’ long throw-in.

Haaland went close for Norway, dragging an effort wide, before he was replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen.

But it was Ramos who sealed a fourth successive win in the competition, stabbing in from close range from Joao Felix’s lay-off with 11 minutes left.

Portugal ended with 10 men after winger Francisco Conceicao was sent off in the 87th minute for two quickfire bookings for dissent.

It was their third game in a row without Cristiano Ronaldo in the team, after the country’s record scorer left the camp last week after being dropped.

Boss Jorge Jesus plans to discuss the matter with the 41-year-old forward, but said on Sunday: “If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team.”

With two games left in the group stage, defending Nations League champions Portugal are now six points clear of second-placed Denmark, who beat Wales 1-0, while Norway are bottom of the group.

The African team arrived in Argentina just five hours before kick-off after a private flight from Morocco was cancelled because of a “technical failure”.

Match organisers said several of Burkina Faso’s senior players then refused to travel, citing fatigue, which meant they fielded a young, inexperienced team at Estadio Monumental shortly after an 11-hour flight.

Lautaro Martinez, Gianluca Prestianni, Nico Paz, Julian Alvarez, Franco Mastantuono, and Giuliano Simeone were all on the scoresheet for the hosts, while Moumoune Diallo netted an own goal.

“What the Burkina Faso national team has done is truly commendable; it elevates football,” Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni said.

“We try to respect them and are very grateful that they were able to come.”

In a press release by match organisers, Fifa match agent Jairo Pachon said: “We would like to emphasise the commitment and dedication of the Burkina Faso federation and government.

“Faced with an extraordinary situation, they worked to provide a solution that would allow their country’s representation to be maintained and give the footballers an important sporting opportunity.”

• ‘It will be an unforgettable day’ – Argentina prepare for Messi farewell

Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi did not feature against Burkina Faso, as he prepares for Tuesday’s friendly against Benin, which will mark the end of his 21-year international career.

Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August in the wake of his country’s defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final and after saying he was considering his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge.

The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player.

“I imagine Tuesday’s match will be very emotional for everyone, including Leo,” Scaloni said.

“It will be an unforgettable day. It will be his day, and his teammates’ day, who also gave him his greatest footballing joy. I’m grateful to be able to enjoy it.”

“I imagine that if there were five Monumental stadiums, they would be packed.”