Ghana Sack Manager Otto Addo 72 Days Before World Cup Kick-Off

Accra – The Ghana Football Association has dismissed head coach Otto Addo with just 72 days remaining until the start of this summer’s World Cup, throwing the Black Stars’ preparations into disarray.

The decision came less than 24 hours after a 2-1 friendly defeat to Germany in Stuttgart on Monday, a result that followed Friday’s 5-1 humiliation by Austria in Vienna. The losses extend Ghana’s current losing streak to four matches and sealed Addo’s fate after the team also failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations during his tenure.

In a terse statement issued after the Germany match, the Ghana FA said it had “parted ways” with the 50-year-old coach and that the exit was “effective immediately.” The association added that “the new technical direction of the Black Stars will be communicated in due course.”

Addo, born in Germany and capped 15 times by Ghana, spent his entire playing career in the Bundesliga and was in his second spell as national-team manager after returning to the role in March 2024. Despite boasting attacking talents such as Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo and Tottenham forward Mohammed Kudus, Ghana have struggled for form and cohesion under his guidance.

The timing of the change leaves the Black Stars scrambling to appoint a successor before the World Cup begins on 11 June across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Ghana have been drawn into a demanding Group B alongside England, Croatia and Panama, opening their campaign against Panama on 18 June before facing England on 23 June and Croatia four days later.

With less than three months until the tournament kicks off, the Ghana FA must quickly identify a new coaching setup capable of galvanising a squad whose confidence has been dented by a string of heavy defeats.