A report from Asempa FM indicates that Ghana’s head coach, Otto Addo, may face dismissal if he suffers another embarrassing defeat against Germany in the friendlies scheduled for tonight.
This comes after the Black Stars suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat to Austria on Friday, March 27, in a friendly, which sparked several concerns from fans and stakeholders over the team’s ability to succeed at the global tournament in June.
Otto Addo came under heavy pressure as many questioned his tactical prowess and capability to take the national team past the group stage or even go further in the tournament.
The Austria-Ghana friendly
Austria opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Marcel Sabitzer converted a penalty to make it 1–0. A return from the first half also saw another Austria goal from Michael Gregoritsch in the 51st minute, and just eight minutes later, Stefan Posch headed in Austria’s third goal, cementing their lead and firm control of the game.
Ghana’s Jordan Ayew managed to find the back of the net in the 77th minute, finishing off a rare attacking move to reduce the deficit to 3–1. However, just 8 minutes after Ayew’s goal, Carney Chukwuemeka scored to affirm their lead. In stoppage time, Nicolas Seiwald sealed the victory with a long‑range strike in the 92nd minute, completing Austria’s 5–1 win over the Black Stars.
This sequence of goals highlighted Austria’s dominance throughout the match, while Ghana struggled defensively and created very few chances. Jordan Ayew’s goal was the only bright spot in an otherwise difficult outing for the Black Stars.
Attention now turns to Ghana’s final friendly against Germany in Stuttgart tonight. The technical team, led by Addo, has been tasked with delivering a marked performance improvement.
Reports suggest that another poor result could prompt a review of Addo’s position. Kick off for the game is slated for 18:45 GMT.
The matches form part of Ghana’s build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Following this window, the Black Stars are scheduled to face Mexico in May and Wales in June before heading to the tournament, where they will compete in Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia.
Black Stars robbed in Austria ahead of friendlies
Ahead of the game, Ghana’s national football team was targeted in a robbery incident in Vienna ahead of their international friendly against Austria on Friday, March 27.
Earlier reports had suggested that some team members were robbed during their stay. Two Rolex watches and $2,250 in cash, belonging to some management committee members and players, had been taken from their rooms.
“The report that came in indicates that two valuables have been stolen: $2,250 in cash and two Rolex watches. The report indicated that the cash belongs to management committee members, and the watches are for the players,” he said.
He added that the CCTV cameras at the hotel where the Black Stars were lodging were not functioning, making it difficult for Austrian police to quickly identify the alleged robbers.
“Regarding where the police are camping, the hotel indicated that their CCTV cameras are not functioning, which has made it difficult for the FA to furnish the Austrian police with proper evidence.”
Despite the incident, officials said the situation was under control, with players and technical staff remaining calm and focused ahead of the scheduled match.
The GFA said it was working closely with relevant authorities in Austria and would provide further updates as more information became available.
An amount of at $10m at launch of Black Stars fundraising campaign organised on Monday, March 23 ahead of World Cup qualifiers.
This information was disclosed by the Deputy Finance Minister and Chairman of the Fundraising Committee, Thomas Nyarko Ampem.
“The fundraising target is $30 million, and if you listen to the pledges and donations, on day one of the launch, we got about $10 million. We are going to put together other events, and we believe that the contributions that are coming in from the short code as well,” he said.
The launch event was attended by high-profile individuals, including President John Dramani Mahama, Sports Minister Kofi Adams, and Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will not sponsor the travel of supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to prevent unnecessary pressure on the already strained public purse.
Speaking at the Ghana World Cup fundraising campaign on Friday, March 20, at Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, the President noted that the decision has been informed by recommendations from the Dzamefe Report, which advised the government to discontinue sponsoring fans to such tournamnets using taxpayers’ money.
“In consonance with the Dzamefe Report, the government has no plans to allocate public funds to fly supporters to the World Cup,” he said.
It was an investigative report prepared by the Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice Senyo Dzamefe, set up in July 2014 by President John Mahama. Its purpose was to examine the scandals that unfolded during the tournament and recommend reforms for Ghana’s football administration.
The President explained that not even a handful of supporters can be sponsored, citing that flying and accommodating just 200 supporters could cost close to $2 million, which would heavily impact the government’s purse.
“The logistical support required to fly and accommodate even just 200 supporters is staggering,” he added, while acknowledging the importance of boosting the Black Stars’ morale during the tournament. However, he said the government must prioritise the prudent use of public resources.
“We all want to see our fans in the stands, but we must be responsible in how we use public resources,” he added, stressing the need to channel funds into critical areas such as job creation.
The decision means that supporters who wish to travel to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will have to rely on private funding, sponsorships, or other fundraising efforts.
