Carlos Queiroz has left his role as Ghana head coach after a damaging defeat to Gambia deepened the Black Stars' latest crisis, barely a month after being reappointed to the position.
The Ghana Football Association confirmed on Thursday that it had mutually agreed with the veteran Portuguese coach to terminate his contract. In a parting message published on the association's website, Queiroz said the decision had not been an easy one, but that both parties agreed ending the professional relationship was the most appropriate course of action given the circumstances, with the interests of Ghana, the Black Stars and Ghanaian football placed above everything else. He added that the necessary conditions had not been fully established, and that the team's recent performances had contributed to the decision to end the arrangement.
The move followed a painful 4-2 home defeat to Gambia in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, made worse by the fact that four-time African champions Ghana had surrendered a 2-0 lead at the Accra Sports Stadium. Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan had given Ghana control of the match before Gambia produced a remarkable comeback, scoring four times to complete the turnaround. The result left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point after two matches, having already lost 2-0 away to Ivory Coast in their opening qualifier.
Queiroz departs with a record of one win, two draws and four defeats across seven matches in charge, with Ghana scoring five goals and conceding ten. His exit brings an end to a turbulent five-month association that began in April, when the 73-year-old signed a four-month contract to lead Ghana at the 2026 World Cup.
During that spell, Queiroz guided Ghana into the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2010, beating Panama and holding England to a draw in the group stage, before Colombia eliminated the Black Stars 1-0 in the round of 32. His original mandate ended after the tournament, but the GFA brought him back on September 2 for a fresh stint in charge.
With Queiroz gone, the GFA must once again search for stability at a difficult moment. Ghana now sit six points behind both Ivory Coast and Gambia after just two matches, and with only the top two teams from each four-team group qualifying, the Black Stars already face a steep climb to avoid missing a second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations.
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