Mr Kwesi Appiah has temporarily stepped down from his position on the Ghana Football Association's (GFA) Executive Council to concentrate on his duties as the head coach of Sudan ahead of the crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The former Black Stars coach announced his decision on Monday, explaining that he would step aside from the influential Executive Council (ExCo), which is responsible for making key decisions about Ghana football, including matters concerning the Black Stars. Appiah secured his seat on the ExCo during last year’s Ghana FA elective congress, but due to a conflict of interest, he is required to step down until November.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) sent a formal letter to Appiah, highlighting the conflict of interest posed by his dual roles with both the Ghana FA and Sudan’s national team, especially with Sudan set to face Ghana in critical qualifiers this month.

The letter, signed by CAF’s Director of Legal Affairs, Felix Majani, pointed out that Appiah’s involvement in both positions violated CAF Statutes and the FIFA Code of Ethics.

“I urge you to take immediate action to resolve this conflict of interest, including, at a minimum, temporarily stepping down from one of the two roles until the conclusion of the competition,” Majani stated.

In response, Appiah complied with the request, stepping down from his GFA role to focus fully on Sudan’s AFCON qualifying campaign.