Addo out as Ghana's coach 72 days before World Cup

March 31 : Ghana have parted ways with coach Otto Addo, with 72 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, the country's football association (GFA) announced on Tuesday.

The decision came a few hours following a 2-1 defeat by Germany in Stuttgart during their preparation for the tournament which will be held in North America next summer. Ghana also lost 5-1 in Austria on Friday.

"The Ghana Football Association (GFA) have parted ways with the Head Coach of the senior men’s national team (Black Stars), Otto Addo effective immediately," it said in a statement.

Former Borussia Dortmund player Otto Addo, appointed for a second stint in March 2024, failed to qualify Ghana for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations despite having Premier League players Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus in his squad.

The German-born coach won eight matches and lost nine in 22 games in charge of the West African nation.

Otto Addo, 50, led Ghana at the 2022 World Cup, after previously working as an assistant to Milovan Rajevac. 

They recorded a 3–2 win over South Korea in Qatar but exited at the group stage after defeats by Portugal and Uruguay.

Ghana, who reached the World Cup for the fifth time, are in Group L along with Croatia, England and Panama.