Government does not interfere in Black Stars player selection, says Sports Minister Kofi Adams
The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has rejected claims that government officials or external actors influence player selection for the Black Stars.
His comments come after Ghana’s disappointing elimination from the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the national team exited the tournament following a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32.
The loss ended the Black Stars’ hopes of progressing further after they reached the knockout stage for the first time since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Adams insisted that the responsibilities within Ghana football are clearly defined, with player selection falling solely under the authority of the national team’s head coach.
He explained that the role of the Sports Ministry does not include choosing players for the Black Stars, but rather providing policy direction, supporting the development of the sector, and collaborating with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on key administrative matters, including the appointment of coaches.
"You have a duty to let them know that the work of a minister is not to [select players]," the Buem MP said.
According to him, once a coach is appointed, technical decisions such as player invitations and squad composition must remain the responsibility of the coach and his technical team.
"The work of a minister is to work with the FA to appoint a coach who has a responsibility to make sure he selects the players; that's why he is paid. That's why we have the FA, that's why we have the coach."
Mr Adams argued that allowing political office holders to influence squad selection would weaken the authority of the technical team and undermine the purpose of appointing a professional coach.
He stressed that coaches must be given the freedom to make technical decisions while also being held accountable for the team’s results.
"If we want the minister to select the players, then there should be no coach again. So the minister will select the players, and we don't have to pay the coach to do that."
Despite Ghana’s early exit from the 2026 World Cup, the Black Stars made history by reaching the knockout stage for the first time in 16 years.
The team will now turn its attention to preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.