Ghana sack Chris Hughton as head coach after AFCON Group Stage Exit

Ghana has terminated the contract of coach Chris Hughton following their premature exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations during the group stage.

The Black Stars concluded Group B with two points, drawing 2-2 against Egypt and Mozambique after a 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in their opening match. Ghana was eliminated from the tournament as results did not favor them, holding distant hopes of advancing as one of the best-ranked third-placed teams.

Hughton, appointed as Ghana head coach in February of the previous year, faced dismissal alongside the dissolution of the Black Stars’ technical team, as announced by the Ghana Football Association (GFA). The GFA plans to outline the future direction of the national team in the coming days.

The former Newcastle United and Brighton manager took on the role of technical adviser for the four-time continental champions after Otto Addo stepped down post the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ghana, under Hughton’s leadership, faced group-stage exits in the 2021 Afcon finals in Cameroon and the recent tournament in Ivory Coast.

Despite fan discontent following their loss to Cape Verde, the GFA had initially expressed full support for Hughton. The 65-year-old coach, who had led the team to second place in Group B, saw their hopes dashed when Mozambique secured a dramatic draw with two late goals during their final group game.

Ghana had experienced a mixed start to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers under Hughton, securing a stoppage-time victory against Madagascar but suffering a 1-0 defeat in Comoros.

Report By BBC Sports