Nora Hauptle Ignores Black Queens Contract Extension

Coach Nora Hauptle has turned down a contract extension from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and is set to take on a new role as the head coach of Zambia’s Copper Queens.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is expected to officially announce her appointment next week.

Hauptle, 41, was appointed head coach of Ghana’s Black Queens in 2023, following Mercy Tagoe’s departure.

Prior to that, she served as the technical advisor for the Black Princesses, Ghana’s U20 women’s national team, during the 2022 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica. Her decision to leave marks the end of her tenure with the Black Queens as she prepares for this new challenge with Zambia.

After the announcement, Hauptle took to social media to express her concerns about Ghana’s preparations for upcoming matches. She emphasized the importance of providing the national team with more high-performance game exposures.

“We need to give our national team as many game experiences as possible. These opportunities allow us to work, learn, and grow both as individuals and as a team,” she wrote.

Hauptle also pointed out the significant gap in the number of games played by teams in 2024 ahead of the WAFCON 2024, scheduled for July 2025.

Her comments reflect a long-standing challenge Ghana has faced in terms of preparation for international tournaments.