Nepotism and cronyism reason for Black Stars’ recent struggles - Kwadwo Baah-Agyemang

Former Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Kwadwo Baah-Agyemang, has attributed the Black Stars’ recent struggles to what he describes as nepotism and cronyism within the team’s setup.

His comments come after Ghana’s unconvincing campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the senior national team exited the tournament following a Round of 32 defeat to Colombia.

The Black Stars finished third in Group L to qualify for the knockout stage, marking their first progression beyond the group phase since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

However, their journey came to an end after Colombia secured a 1-0 victory, with Jhon Arias scoring the decisive goal in the first half.

While praising the team for surpassing expectations by reaching the knockout stage, Baah-Agyemang insisted that deeper structural issues continue to affect the national team’s progress.

"I am tempted to conclude that the Black Stars exceeded our expectations by qualifying for the next round of the World Cup, but the biggest problem of this team is nepotism and cronyism," he told Asempa FM.

The former NSA boss argued that decisions surrounding player selection and management must be guided by the interests of the national team rather than personal gains.

"It's about time we put the interest of the Black Stars ahead of anyone's interest. It's sometimes sad to see something that happens at the national team and the kind of players that are invited. There are always questions that are not good for our game.

"When the team improves and gets better, we will all benefit, which must be the plan and not just think about our interests and pockets," he added.

Ghana will now shift focus to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where they have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, Gambia, and Somalia.