Black Stars' failure to qualify for 2025 AFCON the lowest in my career, says GFA president Kurt Okraku

President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has described the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as the lowest point of his football administration career.

For the first time in 20 years, Ghana failed to book a place at the continental showpiece, which will be hosted in Morocco later this year. The setback sparked widespread criticism of the GFA’s leadership and the national team’s performance.

Speaking on Asempa FM, Okraku reflected candidly on the disappointment.

"When I took over in 2019, there was one phrase that I used, which was that the road ahead of us would be tough, but by the mercies of God, we would get through.

"I knew the state of football when I took over after our internal analysis. At that time, there was no football, so our responsibility at that time was to resurrect football and by doing that, we knew we could not win all games, but what shocked me was the level we descended to."

"We played AFCON in Cameroon and Ivory Coast, and we did not perform. Last year, we did not qualify for the AFCON in Morocco, and that was perhaps my lowest footballing career, thinking that we would participate in the AFCON."

Okraku stressed that the GFA has since been working to address the underlying issues.

"As leaders, we came together to find solutions to the challenge because at teh end of the day, it is not only about qualifying for the AFCON but performing at all levels," he added.

Despite the setback, Ghana’s national team has secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, offering a chance at redemption on the global stage.