The newly appointed Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz will lodge in a hotel when he arrives in Ghana, the Ghana Football Association has confirmed.

Speaking during an appearance on Asempa FM’s Sports Nite on Monday, April 20, the football governing authority’s Senior Manager, Communications, Sheikh Tophic Sienu, explained that the former 5-bedroom house located at the Airport residential which was handed over by the Sports Ministry in 2018 has now been converted into an office space hence while a decision is yet to be taken in relation to a permanent residence for Ghana Black Stars coaches, the Portugese tactician will be accommodate ina hotel.

“The official house allocated for the Black Stars coach has been converted into office space. The decision will be taken in relation to that, but for his first time coming to Ghana, he will be accommodated in a hotel.”

Initially, the residence was handed over by the Sports Ministry to reduce government spending on accommodation for national team coaches. According to reports, the original residence for national team coaches has been converted into a technical hub for the GFA.

Responding to concerns about the high cost of the coach’s hotel stay, Sheikh Sienu defended the decision to convert the residence into an office complex, saying it would support efforts to strengthen football administration in Ghana.

“We have had coaches who have Ghanaian lineages, who were already having accommodation in Ghana, so the building wasn’t in much use, but we needed to make proper use of the apartment. So we converted the spaces not in use for the Technical Hub. In a positive sphere, it was done because we wanted to help develop Ghana’s football and make it better, ” he said.

Meanwhile, Ghana Black Stars' newly appointed coach, Carlos Queiroz, is set to be unveiled this Thursday, April 23, the Ghana Football Association has announced.

This was announced by the local football governing body in a formal statement on Tuesday, 21, revealing that the Portuguese national will address the media at 1:00 pm at the Alisa Hotel, where he is expected to outline his vision, technical philosophy, and immediate plans for the national team as well as his plan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June and July across Canada, Mexico and United States.

His appointment comes after the dismissal of Otto Addo on Monday, March 30, following Ghana’s poor performance in the international friendlies against Austria and Germany.

His first assignment, as a stop-gap appointment following his arrival in Ghana, will be to oversee the upcoming international friendly against Mexico. Preparations will then continue with a final test against Wales on June 2 as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana, preparing for their fifth appearance at the World Cup, have been drawn in Group L. The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on June 17, before facing England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.

After successive group-stage exits in Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, Queiroz faces the challenge of restoring belief and guiding the team to a more competitive show on football’s biggest stage.

Carlos Queiroz to arrive with a 5-member technical team

The coach is expected to arrive with five members of his technical team as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To make room for the new technical team, the technical advisor and director of football, Winfried Schäfer, has reportedly been relieved of his duties, and assistant coach John Paintsil.

Also, several other existing staff members who served in roles during Otto Addo’s tenure have been dismissed to accommodate the new team of Queiroz’s new team.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will not sponsor the travel of supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to prevent unnecessary pressure on the already strained public purse.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will not sponsor the travel of supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to prevent unnecessary pressure on the already strained public purse.

Speaking at the Ghana World Cup fundraising campaign on Friday, March 20, at Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, the President noted that the decision has been informed by recommendations from the Dzamefe Report, which advised the government to discontinue sponsoring fans to such tournamnets using taxpayers' money.

“In consonance with the Dzamefe Report, the government has no plans to allocate public funds to fly supporters to the World Cup,” he said.

It was an investigative report prepared by the Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice Senyo Dzamefe, set up in July 2014 by President John Mahama. Its purpose was to examine the scandals that unfolded during the tournament and recommend reforms for Ghana’s football administration.

The President explained that not even a handful of supporters can be sponsored, citing that flying and accommodating just 200 supporters could cost close to $2 million, which would heavily impact the government’s purse.

“The logistical support required to fly and accommodate even just 200 supporters is staggering,” he added, while acknowledging the importance of boosting the Black Stars’ morale during the tournament. However, he said the government must prioritise the prudent use of public resources.

“We all want to see our fans in the stands, but we must be responsible in how we use public resources,” he added, stressing the need to channel funds into critical areas such as job creation.

The decision means that supporters who wish to travel to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will have to rely on private funding, sponsorships, or other fundraising efforts.