Pulse List: Ghana’s Biggest Sporting Triumphs in 2025

The year 2025 will be remembered as one of renewal and resurgence for Ghanaian sports, as the nation’s teams across various levels and disciplines delivered performances that restored pride and reaffirmed Ghana’s status as a powerhouse in African and global sport.

From football’s biggest stage to historic university glory and medal-laden continental championships, Ghana closed the year with remarkable achievements that captured the imagination of fans at home and abroad.

Ghana’s senior men’s national team, the Black Stars, capped off the year in emphatic fashion by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

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After the disappointment of failing to reach the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in more than two decades, head coach Otto Addo engineered a dramatic turnaround, guiding the Black Stars to their fifth Mundial appearance. Ghana emerged top of Group I ahead of Comoros, Mali, and Madagascar, collecting an impressive 25 points.

The team posted an outstanding 87 per cent win rate under Addo, who took over following a difficult start to the campaign under former coach Chris Hughton. From that point, the Black Stars went on an unbeaten run that ultimately sealed qualification.

With memories still fresh of their group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Ghana will head into the 2026 tournament determined to deliver a more compelling showing on football’s grandest stage.

Ghana’s women’s national team, the Black Queens, also enjoyed a standout year marked by resilience and success. The Queens secured the bronze medal at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after edging past South Africa in a tense penalty shootout.

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They further underlined their progress by qualifying for the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, dispatching Egypt 4-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium to complete a dominant 7-0 aggregate victory in the qualifiers.

The 2026 WAFCON will double as Africa’s qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, slated to be hosted by Brazil, giving the Queens a clear pathway to the global stage.

At youth level, the Black Starlets produced a spirited campaign at the 2025 WAFU B U-17 Boys Championship. Ghana narrowly missed out on the title, losing 4-3 on penalties to hosts Côte d’Ivoire after a pulsating goalless draw in regulation time.

Despite creating numerous chances during open play, the Starlets were unable to convert, forcing the contest to be decided from the spot. Nonetheless, the runners-up finish ensured qualification for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, keeping Ghana’s youth development pipeline firmly on track.

Ghana’s sporting excellence extended beyond national teams as the University for Development Studies (UDS) etched their name into history by winning the 2025 FISU World University Football Championship in Dalian, China.

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In a gripping final, UDS defeated defending champions Paulista University of Brazil 2-1 to lift the coveted title. The triumph made UDS the first African university to win the prestigious global competition, a landmark achievement that resonated across the continent.

Ghana’s armwrestling team, aptly dubbed the “Golden Arms,” rounded off the year with an outstanding showing at the 14th African Armwrestling Championship in Abuja, Nigeria.

Team Ghana finished third overall after amassing a remarkable 55 medals — 26 gold, 20 silver, and nine bronze — over five days of intense competition, placing behind hosts Nigeria and second-placed Benin Republic. The haul highlighted Ghana’s growing stature in the sport at continental level.