Carlos Queiroz has declared that Ghana must begin laying the foundations for the next generation of the Black Stars, with the clear aim of assembling a team capable of qualifying for and competing at the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The Portuguese coach, who led Ghana at the 2026 World Cup, returned for a second spell after his short-term contract expired following the tournament.

Uncertainty had initially surrounded his future, but Queiroz has now set out a long-term vision that places the current Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign at the heart of the rebuilding process.

“Step by step, we have to plant the seeds of rebuilding or, in other words, build a strong team, a capable team that will be able to qualify and compete in the World Cup 2030,” Queiroz said.

For the experienced coach, the 2027 AFCON qualifiers mark the start of a new phase rather than an isolated competition. He is focused on establishing a core group of players who can form the backbone of the national team in the years ahead, combining immediate competitiveness with sustained development.

That task has already been complicated by injuries and withdrawals. Several key players are unavailable for the opening qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké. Tottenham forward Mohammed Kudus withdrew from the squad to continue his recovery from a lengthy injury layoff.

Thomas Partey was not called up because of a hamstring problem, while Lorient defender Nathaniel Adjei has also pulled out through injury.

Despite these absences, Queiroz remains determined that the present campaign must be used productively.

He believes Ghana needs to develop sufficient depth and quality not only to navigate the AFCON qualifiers successfully but also to create a squad capable of competing beyond the immediate cycle.

Building resilience and identifying reliable performers under pressure will be essential if the Black Stars are to avoid the familiar pattern of short-term fixes.

Ghana open their qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday before returning home to host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29, 2026.

The two fixtures offer an early opportunity to test combinations, blood emerging talent and assess the readiness of those players available to Queiroz.

The longer-term objective remains clear. The coach wants a team that can take Ghana into the next World Cup cycle with genuine ambition rather than mere participation. Achieving that will require patience, consistent selection principles and a collective commitment from the Ghana Football Association, coaching staff and players to prioritise sustainable progress over quick results.

Queiroz’s experience on the international stage, including previous spells with several national teams and his recent World Cup campaign with Ghana, underpins his insistence on methodical rebuilding.

He has seen how nations that invest early in structure and continuity often reap rewards when major tournaments arrive.

As the Black Stars prepare for the trip to Bouaké, the message from the technical area is one of measured ambition. The current absences may limit options in the short term, yet they also reinforce the need to widen the talent pool and strengthen the squad’s overall resilience.

For Queiroz, every match in this qualifying campaign is an opportunity to plant those seeds of rebuilding and move Ghana closer to a competitive presence at the 2030 World Cup.