The year 2025 stands out as a turning point for Ghanaian sports, marked by renewed confidence, strong performances and moments that rekindled national pride.
Across different disciplines and age groups, Ghana’s athletes and teams delivered results that reminded the world of the country’s enduring sporting pedigree, both on the African continent and beyond.
From football’s grandest platforms to unprecedented success at the university level and medal-winning campaigns in major continental competitions, Ghana’s sporting journey in 2025 was defined by resilience and achievement.
In this review, The Ghana Report Sports Desk highlights the standout stories that dominated headlines and captured the attention of fans throughout the year, celebrating a season that restored belief and set a promising tone for the future.
Black Stars secure 5th World Cup appearance
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The defining sports story in Ghana in 2025 was the Black Stars’ emphatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Ending the year on a high, the senior men’s national team restored belief among fans with a campaign that combined resilience, consistency and renewed purpose.
This achievement was especially significant given the disappointment earlier in the year, when Ghana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in over two decades.
In response, head coach Otto Addo led a remarkable revival, steadying the team and guiding the Black Stars to their fifth World Cup appearance.
Ghana finished top of Group I ahead of Comoros, Mali and Madagascar, amassing an impressive 25 points along the way.
Addo’s impact was clear. After taking over following a difficult start under former coach Chris Hughton, he oversaw a dramatic upturn in form.
The team recorded an 87 per cent win rate and went on a sustained unbeaten run that ultimately secured qualification.
With the memory of their group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar still fresh, the Black Stars will head into the 2026 tournament with renewed determination, aiming to deliver a stronger and more convincing performance on football’s biggest stage.
Black Queens clinch bronze and book WAFCON 2026 spot
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Ghana’s women’s national team, the Black Queens, also recorded an impressive year defined by determination and tangible progress.
Their standout moment came at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where they claimed the bronze medal after a hard-fought encounter with South Africa that was decided by penalties.
The team built on that momentum by booking their place at the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco in convincing fashion.
A commanding 4–0 win over Egypt at the Accra Sports Stadium sealed a dominant 7–0 aggregate victory in the qualifiers, underlining the Queens’ growing strength and cohesion.
Importantly, the 2026 WAFCON will serve as Africa’s qualification route to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, placing the Black Queens in a strong position to push for a return to the global stage.
The Ghana Premier is taking shape
The 2025–26 Ghana Premier League is in full swing, with Bibiani Gold Stars looking to defend their title against strong contenders like Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak.
The league continues to spotlight local talent and provide a springboard for players aiming to make an international impact.
Ghana hosted the 2025 CAF African Schools Football Championship
Accra became the centre of African youth football in 2025 as Ghana proudly hosted the CAF African Schools Football Championship at the University of Ghana Stadium.
The prestigious tournament, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), brought together some of the continent’s most promising young talents.
Designed for under-15 boys and girls, the championship goes beyond competition. It celebrates grassroots football, education and youth development, uniting school teams from across Africa in a vibrant showcase of skill, teamwork and shared African identity.
Black Starlets take silver, Qualify for U-17 AFCON
At the youth level, the Black Starlets delivered a strong and determined performance at the 2025 WAFU B U-17 Boys Championship.
Ghana came agonisingly close to lifting the trophy but lost 4–3 on penalties to hosts Côte d’Ivoire after a tightly contested goalless draw in regulation time.
The Starlets created several scoring opportunities during open play but were unable to find the breakthrough, pushing the final into a penalty shootout.
Despite the narrow defeat, the runners-up finish secured Ghana a place at the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, reaffirming the steady progress of the country’s youth football development system.
UDS make history at World University Championship
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Ghana’s sporting success in 2025 was not limited to national teams.
The University for Development Studies (UDS) made history by winning the 2025 FISU World University Football Championship in Dalian, China.
UDS sealed the title with a thrilling 2–1 victory over defending champions Paulista University of Brazil in the final.
The win marked a historic milestone, making UDS the first African university to claim the prestigious global crown, an achievement that echoed across Ghana and the wider continent.
‘Golden Arms’ deliver 55-medal haul in Abuja
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Ghana’s arm wrestling team, famously known as the “Golden Arms,” capped off 2025 with an impressive performance at the 14th African Arm wrestling Championship in Abuja, Nigeria.
Over five days of fierce competition, Team Ghana secured a total of 55 medals—26 gold, 20 silver, and nine bronze earning third place overall behind hosts Nigeria and runners-up Benin Republic.
The remarkable medal haul underscored Ghana’s rising prominence in arm wrestling across the continent.
