For the first time in two decades, Ghana’s Black Stars will be absent from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a development former international Ibrahim Tanko has described as a bitter blow to Ghanaian football.

The four-time African champions endured a woeful qualification campaign for the 2025 tournament, finishing last in Group F without a single win. Their six matches yielded only three draws and three defeats, including a disheartening 2-1 loss to Niger in Accra and a 1-1 draw with Angola in Luanda.

Speaking to Flashscore, Tanko, a former Borussia Dortmund forward, lamented the historic failure. “This is the first time in over 20 years that Ghana will not be at AFCON. It’s a big blow for Ghana football, former players, and the Ghana Football Association (GFA). We are definitely going to feel it,” he said.

Tanko noted that Ghana’s struggles were not due to a lack of talent. “In terms of players, we have them. Even though some key players missed the games, we still had a squad good enough to qualify. Historically, qualification has always been straightforward for Ghana, but this time, we fell short.”

He called for introspection within the GFA, urging a deep analysis of the factors behind Ghana’s decline. “In the past, we didn’t just qualify—we thrived. But recently, even when we make it, we fail to progress past the group stage. Something is not right.”

Tanko highlighted the evolving nature of African football, where traditional powerhouses no longer dominate. “Football has changed. Every country has quality players now. Look at Sudan—they may not have the strongest league, but their national team is excelling, even leading their World Cup qualification group ahead of Senegal. This shows how competitive the game has become.”

Reflecting on Ghana’s campaign, Tanko noted that the Black Stars had opportunities to bounce back after an opening 1-0 loss to Angola in Kumasi. However, goalless draws and defeats to Sudan and Niger sealed their fate.

For Ghana, missing AFCON is not just a loss of prestige—it’s a wake-up call. As Tanko suggested, the strength of a national team mirrors the quality of its domestic league. The challenge now is to rebuild and ensure that this failure becomes a turning point for Ghanaian football.