Former Ghana Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has cast uncertainty over the Black Stars’ chances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying he is unconvinced by the current squad’s readiness for the tournament.
Ghana, set for their fifth appearance at football’s global showpiece, have been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama, with expectations high that they will finally progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 2010.
But Vanderpuye believes the team lacks the stability and cohesion needed to compete at the highest level.
“I’m not 100% confident in our team; I’m not. I am a Ghanaian, but I’m confident in them,” he told Accra-based Citi FM.
He compared the current setup unfavourably with previous Ghana squads, pointing to inconsistency and frequent changes within the technical structure as key concerns.
“The confidence I had in the team that went to the 2006 World Cup, 2010 and even 2014 World Cup, it’s not the same as now due to the fact that this team has not been a consistent team.
“There’s been too many mix-ups in this team, and worst of all, look at the change in the timing in the change of the technical department, and unfortunately, we are looking at a team that is training under this coach for just about a month,” Vanderpuye added.
Ghana will begin their campaign against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field, before facing England at Gillette Stadium on June 23. Their final group match comes against Croatia on June 27.
The team has already arrived in Toronto and is expected to hold a mandatory training session ahead of their opening fixture on Wednesday.
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