Former President John Dramani Mahama has encouraged the Black Stars to regain the trust of Ghanaians by winning their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Chad and Madagascar.
He shared this message during a visit to the team’s training session at the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday, March 19.
Speaking to the players, he urged them to make up for their 2025 AFCON disappointment by securing victories in their next two games.
“If you win these two games, I’m sure Ghanaians will be ready to put the disappointment of AFCON behind them and rally behind you,” he said.
The Black Stars will continue their World Cup qualifiers with games against Chad and Madagascar on matchdays 5 and 6.
These will be their first matches since their disappointing 2025 AFCON qualifiers, where they finished last in Group F.
Ghana is currently third in the group with 9 points, having won three of their four qualifying matches.
They will play Chad, who are at the bottom of the table, in Accra on Friday, March 21, before traveling to Morocco to face group leaders Madagascar on March 24, 2025.
Ghana’s journey in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has hit a rough patch recently. For the first time in over two decades, the Black Stars failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON tournament, which will be held in Morocco later this year. This marks a significant setback for a team that has historically been one of the continent’s football powerhouses, with four AFCON titles to their name.
The failure to qualify has sparked disappointment among fans, players, and officials alike. Former Ghanaian football star Michael Essien described the situation as “sad” but urged the nation to move forward and focus on future competitions.