Ghana Black Stars Face Injury Crisis Ahead of AFCON Qualifiers
Ghana’s Black Stars have been hit by a series of player unavailabilities ahead of their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
Head coach Carlos Queiroz is facing late squad changes as Ghana prepares for a difficult international window, with several players ruled out or unavailable because of injury and fitness concerns.
Mohammed Kudus Withdraws
Tottenham Hotspur forward Mohammed Kudus has withdrawn from the Black Stars squad as he continues his recovery and works towards regaining full fitness following a lengthy injury lay-off.
Kudus had initially been included in Queiroz’s squad after returning to international duty following his seven-month injury absence. However, he will now miss Ghana’s upcoming matches.
Antoine Semenyo Also Unavailable
Ghana have also suffered another attacking setback with Antoine Semenyo withdrawing from the squad. Reports indicate that the Bournemouth forward is dealing with an ankle problem.
Semenyo’s absence further reduces Queiroz’s attacking options ahead of the opening AFCON qualifier.
Jordan Ayew Injury Concern
Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew is also reportedly set to miss the upcoming AFCON qualifiers because of an injury. His reported absence would remove another experienced attacking option from the squad.
Queiroz Makes Squad Changes
In response to the latest medical and availability concerns, the Ghana Football Association has announced additional players for the squad.
The players added include Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan, Rockson Yeboah, Rahim Ibrahim, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan.
The Black Stars opened camp in Accra on Monday, September 21, and have begun preparations for the upcoming fixtures.
Ghana's Upcoming Matches
- September 24, 2026: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – Bouaké
- September 29, 2026: Ghana vs The Gambia – Accra Sports Stadium
- October 4, 2026: Morocco vs Ghana – International Friendly
Ghana will begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign away against Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, September 24, before returning home to face The Gambia in Accra five days later. The Black Stars will then travel to Morocco for an international friendly on October 4.
Despite the late setbacks, coach Carlos Queiroz has expressed confidence in the squad and says Ghana will remain focused on the upcoming assignments.
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Ghana Black Stars Focused on AFCON Qualification
With several key players unavailable, attention will now turn to the players available to Queiroz as Ghana begins its campaign for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
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Source: Ghana Football Association, Ghana News Agency and reports from Ghana sports media.
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