Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has expressed strong support for the Ghana Football Association’s recent expansion of the Black Stars’ technical team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On February 6, the GFA announced the addition of five new personnel to the senior national team’s backroom staff.
Alain Ravera and Kim Lars Björkegren have been appointed assistant coaches, while Jose Daniel Martínez Alfonso joins as the team’s analyst. Carlos Lozano Romero and Dwayne Peasah Paa Kwesi complete the appointments as a psychologist and performance coach, respectively.
Speaking to Citi Sports, Mr. Adams emphasized the importance of preparing a team for the rigours of a major tournament.
“We had a conversation to beef up the technical team. It is normal when national teams are going on such international assignments, they beef up their technical team,” Mr. Adams told Citi Sports.
“You’re going to be playing constantly — three games at the group stage, Round of 32, Round of 16, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the finals, because we are not just going there to participate.
“If you don’t prepare and then you get there, all of a sudden you cross the Round of 32, you are going to the Round of 16, and then you get to the quarterfinals. Is it then that you begin to call for additional hands? Maybe you need more masseuses, more of this, and more of that.
“Let’s prepare right from the start. So beefing the technical team with the right combination will go a long way to help. The introduction of people who are not necessarily used to our game here is part of that strategy,” added the Buem MP.
The Black Stars, making their fifth World Cup appearance, have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia. They will open their campaign against Panama on June 17, face England on June 23, and close group-stage play against Croatia on June 27.
As part of their World Cup preparations, the team will regroup in March for friendlies against Austria and Germany, before concluding preparations with a match against Mexico in May.
The GFA has also confirmed that the squad will be based at Bryant University in the United States throughout the tournament.
