Kofi Adams raises concern over lack of home-based players in Black Queens

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has warned that the limited representation of Ghana-based players in the Black Queens could become a major concern for the national teams if left unaddressed.

Adams believes the growing dependence on foreign-based footballers in Ghana’s senior men’s and women’s teams raises questions about the development of domestic talent and the opportunities available to players in the local leagues.

His comments come amid renewed debate over the representation of home-based players in the national teams, following Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare’s emergence as the only Ghana Premier League player in the Black Stars squad for their recent 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

Speaking in an interview with Citi FM, Adams said the situation was increasingly evident in the women’s national team and urged stakeholders to take steps to address the problem before it worsened.

“The same thing is even impacting our senior female national teams now. You hardly will find local players in the teams, which is not good,” the Buem MP said.

“The earlier we correct that one too, the better, before tomorrow we get to the same problem that we have arrived at when it comes to the senior male national team,” he added.

The minister’s concerns mirror his earlier position on the Black Stars, where he revealed that the Sports Ministry had recommended that the committee tasked with finding a new head coach prioritise a candidate willing to spend more time in Ghana if a foreign coach is appointed.

The recommendation reflects broader concerns about strengthening domestic football and ensuring that national team coaches maintain closer contact with the local game.

Meanwhile, the Black Queens have made progress in their quest to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games after securing a 10-0 aggregate victory over Mauritius in the second round of the qualifiers.

Ghana will face Zambia in February in the final qualifying round as they seek to secure a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.