President John Dramani Mahama has expressed confidence that the current Black Stars squad can develop into a title-winning side if the team is kept together and the technical staff retained ahead of future international competitions.

Speaking during an inspection of the Ho Sports Stadium, President Mahama said the Black Stars had defied widespread expectations at the recent FIFA World Cup by progressing to the Round of 32 after many had predicted an early group-stage exit.

“The Black Stars did well. Nobody gave them a chance. People predicted they would crash out at the group stage, but they managed to get into the Round of 32,” he said.

The President said the team’s performance demonstrated its resilience, determination and potential, insisting that continuity would be crucial to building a stronger national side.

“I’m sure that if we keep this team and we persuade the coach to continue to work with the team, by the time of the next AFCON and the next World Cup, we’ll have a team that can claim the championship in any of those two competitions,” he stated.

President Mahama urged early preparations for future tournaments, stressing that Ghana must begin planning now for the next FIFA World Cup while also focusing on the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

He said maintaining the current crop of players and providing sustained support for the technical team would give the Black Stars a solid foundation to compete successfully on the continental and global stage.

The President also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in sports infrastructure to strengthen sports development across the country, saying improved facilities would play a key role in preparing national teams for international competitions.

The Black Stars are expected to shift their attention to the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which begin in September, as they seek to build on their encouraging World Cup campaign.