Ignatius Osei-Fosu, the Assistant Coach of the Sudanese national team, has called on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to reverse its decision to include Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren in the Black Stars’ technical staff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The appeal follows the rescheduling of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) to July, just weeks after the conclusion of the men’s World Cup in June. Osei-Fosu argues that keeping Björkegren with the senior men’s team during this period could compromise the Black Queens’ preparations for the continental tournament.
Speaking to Luv FM, Osei-Fosu emphasized that the WAFCON serves as a vital pathway for Ghana to secure a spot in the next Women’s World Cup in Brazil. He warned that the GFA risks neglecting the women’s team if the current technical arrangement remains.
“They have to change because during the World Cup, the Black Queens must be preparing,” Osei-Fosu stated. “I’m not calling for a change for the sake of it. They have to, unless they are throwing one of the tournaments under the bus. It’s fundamental because Ghana wants to qualify for the Women’s World Cup.”
The GFA had initially integrated Björkegren into the Black Stars’ setup to bolster the technical bench for the global showpiece. However, with the revised WAFCON dates, critics like Osei-Fosu believe the overlapping timelines create an unsustainable conflict of interest.
Osei-Fosu, a vocal advocate for the development of women’s football in Ghana, insisted that the stakes for the Black Queens are too high for any lapses in leadership.
“Anybody who has followed me knows that I’m the number one supporter of the Black Queens. The people managing the team cannot play with that tournament,” he said. “This tournament we are going to play is a qualifier for the World Cup in Brazil. As I’m sitting here, nobody should play with it.”
The GFA has yet to officially respond to calls for a technical reshuffle.