In a major surprise that shook African football circles, the absence of the Ghanaian national team, one of the continent's traditional giants, from the finals of the 35th edition of the African Cup of Nations, scheduled to be held in Morocco in late 2025 and early 2026, was confirmed. Ghana was not the only victim in these exciting qualifiers, as the Guinean and Cape Verde national teams joined them, and the absence of this trio constitutes a shock to sports fans given their history and technical capabilities.
The fall of the "Black Stars": The end of an era or a stumble?
Ghana's absence was the most notable event of the qualifiers, as the four-time continental champions (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982) failed to qualify for the finals for the first time after 10 consecutive appearances. The Ghanaian national team finished fourth and last in Group F, a historic first, leaving the two qualifying spots to Angola and Sudan.
The Ghanaian national team boasts a rich history in the tournament, being the second most frequent participant with 24 appearances, behind Egypt (26) and ahead of Ivory Coast (25). They have reached the final nine times, winning four and finishing as runners-up five times (1968, 1970, 1992, 2010, 2015). This result brings to mind Ghana's worst performance in the 2006 edition in Egypt, when they were eliminated in the first round.
Absence of Premier League and La Liga stars
Because of this bitter elimination, African and international football fans will be deprived of watching some of the brightest stars in Moroccan football. The most notable absentees will be Mohamed Kudus, the West Ham United star (who was previously linked with Tottenham), as well as Antoine Simeone, the Bournemouth striker who has been shining in the English Premier League, and Iñaki Williams, the Athletic Bilbao striker. The absence of these players represents a significant loss for the tournament, both technically and in terms of marketing, given their immense popularity.
The Sudanese paradox and Otto Adu's statements
The height of football drama lies in the fact that Ghana's elimination was orchestrated by its own son, coach James Kwesi Appiah, the current manager of the Sudanese national team and former Ghanaian international defender, who led the "Falcons of Jediane" to qualification at the expense of his homeland. For his part, Ghana's coach, Otto Addo, attributed this failure to a curse of injuries and absences, while simultaneously praising his team's performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where they are steadily progressing towards compensating for their continental disappointment.
Cape Verde and Guinea: Victims of Football Development
Ghana wasn't the only team to suffer elimination; Cape Verde (the Blue Sharks) also failed to qualify after finishing fourth in their group behind Egypt, Botswana, and Mauritania. This failure was unexpected, especially considering Cape Verde had reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 edition and had delivered impressive performances in recent years.
Guinea, runners-up in the 1976 edition, also joined the list of absentees after finishing third in their group behind the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. This reflects the significant shift in the African football landscape, where the technical gap has narrowed, and teams once considered "small" are now capable of challenging and eliminating the continent's powerhouses, promising an exceptional and competitive tournament in Morocco.
