The former multiple Africa Cup winners, the Black Stars from Ghana, have surprisingly failed to qualify for the final round of the next tournament.

The team coached by Otto Addo, who became German champions with Borussia Dortmund in 2002, ended the qualifying campaign with a 1:2 home defeat against Niger. The team did not manage a single win, with a meagre three points.

Following the elimination, the board of the Ghana Football Association resigned. Addo, who only took office in March of this year, is also expected to be dismissed. Addo emphasised that he would not resign, but would fulfil his duties. His contract runs until 2026, referring to the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, where Ghana are level on points with Comoros at the top of Group I after four of ten matches, followed by Madagascar, Mali, the Central African Republic and Chad.

Togo will also not be at the next tournament. The team only finished third in its group behind Algeria and Equatorial Guinea. At least they managed a 3:0 win against Equatorial Guinea in their last game at home in Lomé.