The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has appointed Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren as interim head coach of the Black Stars ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Somalia’s national team, the Ocean Stars, next month.
The appointment, made in consultation with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR), follows a recommendation by the five-member Black Stars Head Coach Search Committee, chaired by Fred Pappoe, as it continues the search for a substantive head coach.
Björkegren, who also serves as head coach of the Black Queens, will lead a four-member interim technical team alongside Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram as assistant coaches, with Fatawu Dauda serving as goalkeepers’ coach.
The GFA and the MoSR believe the interim technical team brings together a strong blend of international experience, local knowledge, technical expertise and a deep understanding of the Ghanaian football landscape, as well as the skills and leadership required to prepare the team effectively for the upcoming fixtures.
According to a joint statement issued by the GFA, the MoSR and the Black Stars Head Coach Search Committee, additional technical and support staff will be appointed to assist the team during the double-header.
The GFA, the Ministry and the committee have urged Ghanaians to support the team and its technical staff as the Black Stars prepare for their upcoming assignment.
Meanwhile, the search committee will continue its work towards appointing a substantive head coach for the team.
The Black Stars currently sit at the bottom of Group C without a point, following a 2-0 defeat away to Côte d’Ivoire and a disappointing 4-2 loss to The Gambia’s Scorpions at the Accra Sports Stadium.
These results have increased the pressure on the interim technical team to do its utmost to collect maximum points from the upcoming fixtures and revive Ghana’s hopes of returning to the continental showpiece after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco.
The Black Stars are scheduled to face Somalia’s Ocean Stars in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium in the third and fourth rounds of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers during the next international window, which runs from November 9 to 17.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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