The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has strongly rejected persistent claims that government officials influence the selection of playe
The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has strongly rejected persistent claims that government officials influence the selection of players for the Black Stars, insisting that squad selection remains the sole responsibility of the national team’s head coach.
His comments come at a time when scrutiny over player selection has intensified following Ghana’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Black Stars’ campaign ended in the Round of 32 after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia.
The elimination reignited public debate over team selection, tactical decisions and the overall direction of the senior national team.
Speaking on Joy FM, Adams dismissed suggestions that ministers or political office holders determine who earns a place in the national team, stressing that Ghana’s football governance structure clearly assigns those responsibilities to the technical team.
“You have a duty to let them know that the work of a minister is not to select players,” he stated.
According to the Sports Minister, the Ministry’s mandate is to formulate sports policies, provide the necessary support for football development and work alongside the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in appointing the national team coach.
Once a coach has been appointed, he explained, all football-related technical decisions, including player selection, team tactics and matchday squads, become the exclusive responsibility of the coach.
“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,” Kofi Adams said.
The Minister argued that allowing government officials to interfere in player selection would undermine the authority of the technical bench and make the role of the head coach unnecessary.
“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,” he added.
His remarks come against the backdrop of renewed criticism following Ghana’s World Cup campaign, during which several supporters questioned the inclusion of some players and the omission of others after the Black Stars failed to progress beyond the Round of 32.
The debate over political interference in player selection is not new in Ghanaian football.
For decades, allegations that politicians, football administrators and influential individuals influence Black Stars call-ups have surfaced after major tournaments. However, successive governments and officials of the Ghana Football Association have consistently denied the claims, maintaining that player selection rests entirely with the coaching staff.
The current coaching team has also defended its decisions throughout the World Cup, insisting that every player selected earned his place based on technical assessment and tactical requirements.
Captain Jordan Ayew and several senior members of the squad have equally appealed to Ghanaians to remain patient as the Black Stars continue rebuilding under a new technical direction following the appointment of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz shortly before the World Cup.
Although Ghana impressed by reaching the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2010, the team’s elimination by Colombia has prompted widespread calls for a comprehensive review of both the technical and administrative structures of the national team.
Attention is now shifting toward preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with football stakeholders expecting the Ghana Football Association to evaluate the team’s performance and chart a new path for the future.
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