Black Stars Technical Advisor Winfried Schäfer Decries Ghana's AFCON 2025 Omission as 'Catastrophic'

Winfried Schäfer, the newly appointed Technical Advisor for Ghana’s Black Stars, has described the team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a “catastrophe.”

For the first time in 20 years, Ghana will not participate in the prestigious continental tournament, which is scheduled to be hosted in Morocco later this year. The Black Stars’ qualification campaign saw them fail to secure a win in their group, finishing last after six matches, with three defeats and three draws.

This disappointing result sparked public outcry, with many fans and pundits calling for the resignation of head coach Otto Addo. Schäfer, who won the AFCON title with Cameroon, was appointed as the Black Stars’ Technical Advisor just ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar.

In an interview with Sächsische Zeitung, which was later reported by AfricaSoccer.com, Schäfer emphasized the significance of Ghana’s absence from the tournament. “Missing the Africa Cup is seen as a catastrophe in Ghana,” he remarked, acknowledging the intense disappointment that the team’s failure has caused.

Schäfer also reflected on the internal challenges within the squad, noting that the Black Stars were struggling in their World Cup qualification campaign as well. He explained that following these setbacks, the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) reached out to him for help in bringing stability and structure to the team.

Since his appointment, however, the Black Stars have shown signs of improvement, with two consecutive victories against Chad and Madagascar in March, reigniting hope for the team’s future.

Looking ahead, the Black Stars are preparing for a four-nation tournament in the UK later this month. This will serve as a warm-up before they resume World Cup qualifying matches in September, where they will face Chad and Mali in Matchday 7 and 8 of the campaign.