Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku has strongly rejected claims that he personally selects players for Ghana’s national teams, insisting that the responsibility rests entirely with coaches and their technical teams.

Okraku made the clarification on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when he appeared before Parliament’s Select Committee on Youth and Sports to respond to questions about the administration and management of Ghanaian football.

He maintained that neither the GFA president nor members of the association’s Executive Council determine which players should be invited to represent the country, stressing that squad selection is a technical responsibility.

“The GFA does not select players. If this ExCo was in the business of selecting players for coaches, I’m sure one of them would’ve come out publicly to say that this is what has been happening,” he stated.

Okraku explained that coaches work with scouts to identify and assess players, particularly for the various youth national teams. He disclosed that trained scouts operate across Ghana’s 10 football regions and collaborate with the technical directorate to identify potential talents.

He acknowledged that the GFA has the authority to appoint and dismiss coaches but insisted that this does not give the association the right to interfere in their technical decisions.

His comments come amid longstanding public debate over alleged administrative interference in Black Stars squad selections, with sections of the football community questioning the inclusion and exclusion of certain players.

Okraku’s remarks were intended to clarify the distinction between the GFA’s administrative responsibilities and the coaches’ authority over player selection.

SOURCE