2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Winfried Schafer joins Black Stars training for the first time

The new technical director of the Ghana Football Association, Winfried Schafer, joined the Black Stars for the first time during their first training session ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.The German tactician was appointed the technical director of the FA early in the year and will assist Black Stars coach Otto Addo in transforming the team into a winning side.The FA resorted to appointing the 74-year-old following Ghana's failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.His addition to the team, along with Desmond Offei, the new assistant coach and Kris Perquy, the team's psychologist, is expected to boost the Black Stars' technical department for the qualifying run for the 2026 World Cup.Ghana currently sits joint top with Comoros Island in Group I of the qualifiers, and will face Chad and Madagascar in the next two games of the group.The West African nation are chasing a fifth appearance at the World Cup, having participated at four tournaments, with their best performance being in 2010, when Ghana reached the quarter-final. Read Full Story