Former Ghana coach Chris Hughton has called on the government to increase funding for football infrastructure and the domestic game, warning that inadequate investment is contributing to the country's declining position in African football.

Published 12 Nov 2026, 10:11 GMT

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Former Ghana coach Chris Hughton has called on the government to increase funding for football infrastructure and the domestic game, warning that inadequate investment is contributing to the country's declining position in African football.

The 67-year-old believes Ghana must improve its football structures and facilities to remain competitive on the continent, as other African nations continue to make significant progress.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Hughton said the Black Stars were once regarded among Africa's strongest national teams but now face greater competition from countries that have improved their football standards.

"Many years ago Ghana were at a level that was, if not the best team in Africa, certainly right up there," he said.

"You've seen the emergence of so many other good African nations that have made the competition levels that much higher.

"Some of these countries have so many other problems, but I do think that there needs to be an injection of government money into the structure and into the system."

Hughton believes the changing landscape of African football makes it necessary for Ghana to reassess its approach to developing the game, particularly through sustained investment in infrastructure and the domestic football system.

His concerns extend to the Ghana Premier League, which he believes has lost some of the support and importance it previously enjoyed.

The former Newcastle United and Brighton manager argued that the condition of playing surfaces and declining attendance figures are among the issues affecting the local competition.

He noted that the domestic league had traditionally played an important role in producing talented footballers for the national team but warned that the environment needed to nurture such players was no longer receiving the attention it deserved.

"In Ghana, the local game that used to produce so many good players, the support level is not there," Hughton said.

"They're playing on pitches that are not of a great level and the supporters are not coming."

He also highlighted the contrast between the popularity of the Black Stars and the level of support enjoyed by clubs competing in the country's top-flight league.

"The supporters in Ghana love the Black Stars most, first and foremost, and of course the Premier League is massive there, but there isn't that support for the local game that there used to be.

"I think the government needs to do more as regards putting money into the infrastructure."

Hughton's remarks come at a challenging period for Ghanaian football, with the Black Stars facing the possibility of missing out on a second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The four-time African champions have endured a difficult start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, losing their opening two Group C matches against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.

Ghana began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat away to Côte d'Ivoire before suffering a 4-2 loss at home to The Gambia, despite initially establishing a two-goal advantage.

Those results have left the Black Stars without a point from their first two fixtures and placed their qualification ambitions under considerable pressure.

The team will now attempt to revive its campaign under interim head coach Kim Lars Björkegren following the departure of Carlos Queiroz.

Ghana are scheduled to face Somalia in a double-header, with the first encounter set to take place at the Essipong Sports Stadium, kicking off at 15:00 GMT.

The matches offer the Black Stars an opportunity to get their qualification campaign back on track, but Hughton's broader concerns suggest that improving the fortunes of Ghanaian football will require attention beyond the national team.

His call for increased government funding places particular emphasis on developing better playing facilities and strengthening the domestic league, which he considers an important foundation for producing future generations of Ghanaian footballers.

Chris Hughton calls for increased government investment in Ghana football

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