GFA chief praises Ghana's promise after 1-0 2026 World Cup exit

Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku has praised the Black Stars’ resilience and potential after their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat by Colombia in the Round of 32. The result ended Ghana’s fifth appearance at the tournament.

Speaking at the GFA’s 32nd Ordinary Congress at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, Okraku said the team’s performances offered evidence of progress. He accepted that Ghana had wanted to go deeper into the competition but said the campaign contained positive signs for the national side.

Ghana reached the knockout stage for the first time since the 2010 World Cup. Their progress came after they finished third in Group L with four points, despite losing their final group match 2-1 to Croatia.

The Black Stars opened the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Panama and then drew 0-0 with England. The Croatia result left them third in the group, but they still moved into the Round of 32 before Colombia brought their campaign to an end.

Okraku also pointed to Ghana’s movement in the tournament rankings as an indication of the squad’s promise. The team entered the World Cup as the lowest-ranked side and finished 24th after the competition.

The GFA president said the performances against strong opposition showed that the team was developing in the right direction. Ghana will now shift focus to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with the Black Stars expected to regroup during the September international window.