Assistant coach of the Black Stars, John Paintsil, has hinted at possible surprises in Ghana’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held this summer across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Ghana is expected to announce its final squad on June 1, but Paintsil says the technical team is casting a wide net, with both locally based and foreign-based players firmly in contention.
“We are focused on both local and international players for the Black Stars’ World Cup squad,” Paintsil told Asempa FM. “Every Ghanaian who qualifies to play is welcome, but there will be a lot of surprises.”
As part of preparations for the tournament, the Black Stars will regroup in March for international friendly matches against Austria and Germany, aimed at assessing player readiness and fine-tuning the squad.
Ghana has been drawn in Group L, where they will face Panama, England, and Croatia. The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, before taking on England in Boston. Their group-stage campaign will end against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.
After group-stage exits at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the Black Stars are determined to make a stronger impact at football’s biggest stage in 2026.
