The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has terminated the contract of head coach Otto Addo, effective immediately, approximately two and a half months before the national team begins its World Cup campaign. The statement, released Monday on the federation’s official website, did not provide specific reasons for the dismissal or identify a replacement.
The decision follows a recent series of international friendly matches. Ghana fell 2-1 to Germany during a fixture in Stuttgart, adding to a 5-1 defeat in Austria less than a week prior. Those results extended the squad’s winless run to four consecutive matches as tournament preparations progressed.
Addo was serving his second stint with the national side. He previously managed Ghana on an interim basis throughout 2022, a period that included the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He directed the team to a group-stage victory against South Korea, though Ghana was eliminated in the opening phase. The federation formally secured Addo’s return in March 2024 after Borussia Dortmund released him from his talent development responsibilities for the remainder of the club season.
Before transitioning to management, Addo competed as a professional player across several European leagues. Born in Hamburg, he earned a German Bundesliga title with Dortmund and collected senior international caps for Ghana, which included an appearance at the 2006 World Cup.
The federation must now reorganize its technical department to maintain the team’s training schedule ahead of the global tournament. Ghana, competing in the World Cup for the fifth time, has been drawn into Group L alongside Croatia, England, and Panama. The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama in Toronto on June 17. Interim staff will oversee immediate preparations while the GFA conducts its review and appoints permanent coaching leadership in accordance with official tournament deadlines.
