Inside Story: Why Nora Häuptle abandoned her role as Black Queens coach
Former head coach of Ghana’s senior women’s football team, Nora Häuptle, has opened up about her decision to step down from the position.
The Swiss coach left her post in late 2024 after successfully guiding the Black Queens to qualify for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), set to take place in Morocco from July 5 to July 26.
Ghana is among the 12 nations competing in the prestigious tournament. Häuptle orchestrated Ghana’s return to the WAFCON for the first time since 2018 and came within one game of qualifying the team for their first-ever Olympic Games.
Her departure leaves the Black Queens without a coach just six months before the tournament in Morocco.
In an interview with Swiss outlet 20 Minutes, Häuptle, who previously coached Israel’s national women’s team, revealed that her decision to resign stemmed from an inability to accept compromises during contract renewal talks with the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
“It wasn’t easy to give up the project. My contract was running out at the end of the year, and we had discussions. But there were a few pieces of the puzzle that were not clear, which were relevant to my success,” she said.
“I can’t just make compromises, but nothing happened; we are parting on good terms and with a lot of respect for each other.”
“I’m excited by the team’s enormous potential. Recently, they have regularly participated in finals but have not yet been able to perform convincingly. I know what we need to do as a team,” she stated.
Since parting ways with Ghana, Nora Häuptle has been appointed head coach of Zambia and will now lead the Copper Queens at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Zambia has been placed in Group A, alongside Morocco, Senegal, and DR Congo.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has stated that it made every effort to retain Häuptle as the Black Queens’ head coach. However, the Swiss coach ultimately opted to take the role with Zambia.
Reports suggest that Häuptle was unhappy with the team’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) in Morocco, particularly due to the lack of high-profile friendly matches.
Despite voicing her concerns—partly through a post on LinkedIn—she received no guarantees or resolutions. Consequently, she signed a contract with Zambia after her Ghana deal expired on December 31.