The Black Stars are back, and they arrive in North America in the middle of a reset. After a group-stage exit in 2022, Ghana have a new manager in Carlos Queiroz, the well-travelled Portuguese coach, and a 26-man squad that contains 15 potential World Cup debutants. The spine mixes seniority and form: captain Jordan Ayew, Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo, Athletic Club striker Inaki Williams and midfield anchor Thomas Partey. The headline absence is Mohammed Kudus, ruled out by injury. Ghana land in Group L with England, Croatia and Panama. This is the squad, the group, the fixtures and the new era under Queiroz.
Ghana blend Premier League and LaLiga quality at the top of the pitch with a midfield organiser and a young supporting cast. These are the names the campaign will turn on.
The in-form headline name. After three standout seasons at Bournemouth, Manchester City triggered his release clause in January 2026 in a deal worth a reported 65 million pounds. Quick, powerful and direct, Semenyo is Ghana's most dangerous attacker and the symbol of the new era.
The leader. Son of Ghana great Abedi Pele, the experienced forward carries the armband and the institutional memory of a young group. With Mohammed Kudus and brother Andre Ayew absent, Jordan is the senior face of the team.
The Athletic Club striker. Born in Bilbao to Ghanaian parents, Williams committed to the Black Stars in 2022 and brings elite pace and a relentless running profile. Alongside his brother Nico, who plays for Spain, he is one of football's best-known sibling stories.
The midfield base. One of the most experienced names in the squad, Partey screens the defence, breaks up play and progresses the ball, giving Queiroz the platform to let Ghana's young attackers push forward.
The flair. A direct, exciting wide forward with electric acceleration, Kamaldeen offers Ghana one-on-one quality and the ability to change a game off the dribble. Ernest Nuamah provides similar thrust from the other flank.
The vastly experienced manager. A former Real Madrid coach and long-serving Portugal assistant, Queiroz has led Portugal, Iran, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar at international level. He took the Ghana job in March 2026 and quickly built a squad around youth and energy.
Carlos Queiroz named a 26-man squad on 1 June: three goalkeepers, nine defenders, six midfielders and eight forwards, with 15 players in line for a first World Cup. Jordan Ayew is captain. Below are the confirmed names by position; club listings can shift over the summer transfer window.
Queiroz leaned into youth, handing 15 players the chance of a World Cup debut while keeping a core of seniors in Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey, Baba Rahman and Inaki Williams. The back line lost Alexander Djiku to a hamstring injury, with the Dutch-born Derrick Luckassen called in as cover, while Tariq Lamptey was ruled out with an ACL problem. Club listings can change over the summer window.
Three threads define Ghana's 2026 build-up: a coaching change, a painful injury list, and a generational handover.
A new direction. Otto Addo was dismissed in March 2026, and the GFA turned to Carlos Queiroz to steady the ship and lead the World Cup campaign. His first major act was a squad refresh built on form and youth.
The blow. Mohammed Kudus, Ghana's most dangerous attacker and top scorer at Qatar 2022, misses the World Cup after a quad injury required surgery. Djiku (hamstring) and Lamptey (ACL) are also out injured.
The new era. With so many uncapped or untested names alongside Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey, this is a Ghana squad in transition, betting on energy and fearlessness over tournament experience.
Ghana were drawn into Group L with England, Croatia and Panama. England are the clear seeds, and 2018 finalists Croatia carry pedigree, so Ghana will look to take maximum points from Panama and to spring a surprise against one of the bigger names. Two of their three group games are in Canada and the north-east United States.
The opener against Panama in Toronto is the game Ghana have circled as a must-win. For the full picture of all 104 games, see the WorldCuply.com match schedule, and read our guide to Group L rivals England, plus Croatia and Panama.
Ghana are a young side in a tough group, but they have genuine quality at the top of the pitch and a manager who knows tournament football:
Ghana have history at this tournament, most famously their run to the 2010 quarter-finals, when they came within a missed penalty of the semi-finals. This squad is younger and more uncertain, but with Semenyo and Williams up front and Queiroz on the touchline, the Black Stars will travel believing the knockouts are within reach.
Ghana are one of 48 nations heading to the 2026 World Cup. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
Ghana's Group L opponents and the seeded favourites, Thomas Tuchel's official 26 and the big-name omissions.
Read the England guide ›Africa's flagbearers and 2022 semi-finalists, the AFCON 2025 champions led by Achraf Hakimi.
Read the Morocco guide ›Another African heavyweight, Mohamed Salah and the Pharaohs back at the World Cup.
Read the Egypt guide ›All 104 fixtures across 16 host cities, with kickoff times you can filter to your team.
Open the schedule ›This guide was hand-written from the following reporting and reference pages, used to confirm Ghana's squad, coach, qualification, group and fixtures:
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