GFA President Kurt Okraku reacts to Black Stars' AFCON failure

The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has expressed deep remorse following the Black Stars' failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) — the first time in two decades.

Ghana's winless qualification campaign was sealed with a 2-1 defeat to Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, leaving fans disheartened and the nation in shock.  

Taking to Facebook, Okraku addressed the situation, acknowledging the collective pain of Ghanaians while urging calm and unity to rebuild the team. 

"From the highest heights of world football on the 29th of March 2022 to the lowest ebb of AFCON qualifying matches. My heart bleeds. Definitely, this is not what we want or what we bargained for,” he wrote.  

The Black Stars ended their qualification campaign at the bottom of Group F with three draws and three losses in six matches, marking their lowest point in modern football history. 

The team’s failure comes after disappointing group-stage exits at both the 2021 and 2023 AFCON tournaments, further amplifying criticism of Ghanaian football's leadership and direction.  

Okraku, who is in his second term as GFA President, emphasized the importance of calm and collective effort to navigate what he described as a “bumpy and rough” road to recovery. 

“At this point, only cool heads can win, and we as leaders of our sport will stay together, be honest with ourselves, and fix this problem," he stated.  

His message ended on a note of hope, calling for patience and resilience. “As a Black Stars fan and as the leader, I share in your pain and in our pain. We will rise from this temporary setback. It shall be well."  

The failure to qualify for AFCON 2025 has left the GFA facing heightened scrutiny, with calls from fans and stakeholders for a comprehensive overhaul of the national team setup. The coming months will be pivotal as Ghana seeks to rebuild trust and reclaim its place as a football powerhouse on the continent.

Read Kurt Okraku's entire post below;

From the highest heights of world football on the 29th of March 2022 to the lowest ebb of Afcon qualifying matches. My heart bleeds.  

Definitely this is not what we want or what we bargained for. At this point, only cool heads can win and we as leaders of our sport, will stay together, be honest with ourselves and fix this problem. 

The road to full recovery after normalization is definitely bumpy and rough , but our collective efforts and patience will win and Ghana our beloved country will win. 

As a Black Stars fan and as the leader, I share in your pain and in our pain. 

We will rise from this temporary setback.it shall be well