Nana Joe Adarkwa names final Black Maidens squad for U17 Women’s World Cup

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has defended Ghana's performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, asserting that the Black Stars delivered a superior campaign despite their early departure from the tournament. As the four-time African champions, Ghana made their fifth appearance at the World Cup, which took place in North America.

The team advanced to the Round of 32, before ultimately being eliminated. In terms of results, Ghana secured one victory, one draw, and suffered two defeats, earning a total of four points throughout the competition.

When reflecting on the team's performance, Mr. Adams highlighted the improvement in Ghana's progress from their previous World Cup experiences. He noted that the team's advancement beyond the group stage represented a significant improvement compared to their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup hosted in Russia, as well as their exit at the preliminary stage during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Mr. Adams stated, "If you consider our recent performance from failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup hosted in Russia to our performance at the 2022 [World Cup in] Qatar where we exited at the preliminary stage, to the 2026 [World Cup] where at least we advanced from the group stage, you cannot say it was a poor showing," according to Citi News Room.