John Mahama blames Black Stars’ 2025 AFCON failure on poor governance

National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Dramani Mahama has criticized the government for the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mahama expressed frustration that Ghana, with its wealth of football talent, missed out on the tournament while Sudan, a nation in conflict, secured qualification.

Speaking on GTV ahead of the 2024 general elections, he attributed the team’s struggles to governance issues under President Akufo-Addo.

“Nothing is working in this country. Everything has gone haywire. It has even affected the Black Stars. The Black Stars have always been the Black Stars, and we’ve all been proud of them. You could count on them to score when it matters. Today, look at the Black Stars.

“So sad. We’re in the same group as Sudan. They played all their home matches away because there’s a war in Sudan, and they have qualified. The Black Stars are out. And so the time has come for Ghanaians to make a change,” Mahama said.

The Black Stars finished last in Group F with three points, marking their first failure to qualify for AFCON in two decades. Sudan and Angola advanced, while Ghana managed no wins in six matches under head coach Otto Addo.