Sudan coach Kwasi Appiah speaks exclusively to FIFA about why reaching World Cup 2026 would ‘transform’ the mindset of his players.
Ghanaian hungry to return to finals after leading home country at Brazil 2014.
Throughout his storied career, James Kwesi Appiah has remained faithful to his principles.
The former Ghana defender has only ever known African football and his passion for developing the game on the continent burns as strongly as ever.
Indeed, even after winning the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1982 alongside the great Abedi Pele, he never succumbed to the allure of European football. Instead, Appiah spent most of his playing career with Asante Kotoko in his native Kumasi, and later became coach of the club after hanging up his boots.
This led to him becoming an assistant coach with the Ghana national team, where he was able to learn the ropes under veteran tacticians Claude Le Roy and Milovan Rajevac.
“This profession requires patience and careful attention to even the smallest details,” Appiah said. “And my opportunity came at just the right time.”
At the 2011 African Games, Appiah was put in charge of the country’s U-23 side, whose tournament victory paved the way for his appointment as coach of the senior national team the following year.
He then steered the Black Stars to Brazil 2014, becoming the first coach from sub-Saharan Africa to lead a team at a FIFA World Cup™.
“I’m happy that I’m no longer the only one to have done this,” he added. “When I contemplate the achievements of my colleague Aliou Cisse with Senegal, it makes me really proud. Others will come after us and accomplish more.”
Now 64, Appiah is less than a year into his latest challenge: to lead Sudan to the next World Cup. “I firmly believe we can achieve this,” he insisted.
FIFA: With Sudan top of their World Cup qualification group, two points ahead of Senegal, how would you assess the campaign thus far?
James Kwesi Appiah: We started this campaign with a clear objective: to amass as many points as possible at home. Our game against Congo DR (a 1-0 win) was indicative of the determination of the players, who kept going until the end to secure this crucial victory.
After also beating Mauritania away 2-0, the players will go into the upcoming challenges with confidence. These results have given us an advantage ahead of our clash with Senegal in March 2025.
The Sudanese federation is also doing a remarkable job, providing excellent conditions for us. Everyone is contributing to the success of this qualifying campaign.
Is there a risk of premature thinking qualification is assured?
That’s right, and also why it’s essential to focus on each game as it comes. You can’t look too far ahead or skip any steps, as there’s still a long way to go. We put in some good performances, but I’m convinced that we can do even better if we maintain the same motivation.
This link-up between you and Sudan is quite unusual, as it’s rare to see an African coach at the helm of another country on the continent. Tell us a little about this sub-Saharan alliance?
When Sudan called on my services, I felt really honoured, as it shows that African teams believe in the expertise of their coaches. During the last World Cup, all CAF teams had African coaches at the helm.
They’ve shown the world, in the shape of Walid Regragui and Morocco, that they can perform when given the opportunity. African coaches have proven themselves when they’ve been afforded the chance.
