Kim Lars, Tanko and Attram to lead Ghana’s interim technical team for Ghana’s AFCON qualifiers in November

Kim Lars Björkegren is set to take charge of Ghana's senior men's national team on an interim basis for their crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Somalia in November.

The Black Queens head coach will lead a temporary technical team assembled by a five-member committee following the departure of Carlos Queiroz, who left his position after Ghana suffered defeats in their opening two qualifying matches against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.

Björkegren will be supported by Medeama SC head coach Ibrahim Tanko and current Black Stars assistant coach Godwin Attram as Ghana attempt to revive their qualification campaign.

The interim team is expected to oversee the home-and-away double-header against Somalia scheduled between 11 and 14 November 2026.

The arrangement will give the Ghana Football Association's five-member coaching search committee additional time during October and November to assess candidates before appointing a permanent head coach.

Ghana face a difficult task in the remaining qualifiers after losing their first two matches, leaving little room for further setbacks as they seek to secure a place at the 2027 AFCON.

The Black Stars' failure to qualify for the previous edition of the continental tournament adds to the pressure on the interim technical team, with the upcoming fixtures offering an opportunity to get their campaign back on track.

Björkegren's expected appointment comes at a demanding period for the Swedish coach, who also oversees the Black Queens. His responsibilities with the women's national team will continue to be a major consideration as he prepares to take charge of the men's side.

Shortly after the November international assignments with the Black Stars, he will need to assemble the Black Queens for their intercontinental play-off matches in the race to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The dual responsibility will require careful planning as Ghana pursue qualification ambitions in both the men's and women's competitions.

Björkegren has previously been called up to work with the Black Stars during Otto Addo's tenure. However, the latest development would represent a more prominent responsibility for the coach as Ghana attempt to recover from their difficult start to the AFCON qualifying campaign.

Tanko brings experience from his work with Medeama and his previous spell in charge of the Black Meteors, Ghana's men's under-23 national team. Attram, meanwhile, is already part of the Black Stars' technical setup as an assistant coach.

Their inclusion is intended to provide continuity and experience while the search committee continues its work to identify a permanent successor to Queiroz.

The decision to establish an interim technical team follows the committee's request for more time to complete the appointment process. Rather than rush the selection of a permanent coach, the temporary arrangement will allow Ghana to prepare for the Somalia matches while the evaluation continues.

The November fixtures are therefore expected to be an important test for the new technical team, with the Black Stars needing positive results to improve their position in the qualifying campaign.

After the November international window, Ghana's next scheduled opportunity to assemble for national team duties will be in March 2027.

That leaves the interim team with an immediate responsibility to prepare the squad, address the shortcomings exposed in the opening defeats and give Ghana a stronger chance of remaining in contention for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.