Former Ghana coach Chris Hughton has called on the government to increase investment in football infrastructure and the domestic game, warning that inadequate support is contributing to Ghana's declining competitiveness in African football.
The Black Stars are facing the possibility of missing out on a second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after losing their opening two matches in the 2027 qualifying campaign against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.
Hughton believes Ghana's recent struggles reflect the growing strength of other African football nations, many of which have made significant progress in recent years.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC, the 67-year-old said Ghana had previously been among Africa's leading football nations but now faced stronger competition across the continent.
"Many years ago Ghana were at a level that was, if not the best team in Africa, certainly right up there," he said.
"You've seen the emergence of so many other good African nations that have made the competition levels that much higher."
He argued that increased government funding was needed to strengthen the structures supporting football development in the country.
"Some of these countries have so many other problems, but I do think that there needs to be an injection of government money into the structure and into the system," he added.
The former Newcastle United and Brighton manager also expressed concern about the state of the Ghana Premier League, citing poor playing facilities and declining attendance at domestic matches.
He said the local league, which has traditionally played an important role in producing talent for the national team, was no longer attracting the level of support it once enjoyed.
"In Ghana, the local game that used to produce so many good players, the support level is not there," Hughton said.
"They're playing on pitches that are not of a great level and the supporters are not coming."
He added that although football supporters in Ghana remained passionate about the Black Stars and the Premier League, the domestic game was struggling to attract similar interest.
Hughton therefore called for greater investment in football facilities to improve the quality of the domestic competition and support the development of local talent.
"I think the government needs to do more as regards putting money into the infrastructure," he said.
His comments come at a challenging period for Ghanaian football, with the Black Stars struggling to revive their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign.
The four-time African champions are without a point after two matches in Group C and will be seeking to improve their position under interim coach Kim Lars Björkegren following the departure of Carlos Queiroz.
