Ghana Football Association appoints Kim Lars Björkegren as interim coach

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has appointed Swedish manager Kim Lars Björkegren as the interim head coach of the Black Stars. This decision follows the departure of Carlos Queiroz and aims to provide immediate leadership for the national team ahead of upcoming international assignments. Björkegren will be supported by a technical team including Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram, with his first challenge being a double-header against Somalia scheduled for November 11 and November 15.

The appointment comes amid changes to the committee tasked with finding a long-term successor for the head coaching role. Former international defender Anthony Baffoe has withdrawn from the search committee, which is chaired by Fred Pappoe. GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum confirmed that Baffoe's decision was relayed to the Executive Council last week, though specific reasons for his exit were not disclosed. The remaining committee members include Stephen Appiah, Agbesi Dzakpasu, and Faisal Chibsah.

While the GFA moves forward with Björkegren, the choice has sparked discussion among sports analysts. Journalist Saddick Adams has publicly advocated for former defender John Paintsil, arguing that his experience as an assistant coach made him a more suitable interim candidate than the Swedish manager. Despite these differing views, the GFA remains focused on its structured search process, with Baffoe—the current General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana—hinting at a potential future bid for the GFA presidency.

Looking ahead, the GFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports expect to name a permanent substantive head coach by late November 2026. Henry Asante Twum indicated that the search committee is working to finalize its recommendations by the end of this month. This timeline suggests a phased transition designed to ensure the Black Stars remain competitive during the qualification cycles following the Queiroz era.