Toulouse FC has confirmed that Ghana midfielder Abu Francis faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, putting his participation in next summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup in serious doubt.
The 25-year-old suffered a severe ankle injury during Ghana’s 2-0 loss to Japan in the 2025 Kirin Challenge Cup on Friday at Toyota Stadium.
In a desperate attempt to block a shot from Japan’s Ao Tanaka, Francis broke his leg, forcing him off the field.
In a statement, Toulouse FC described the injury as long-term, raising doubts over the midfielder’s World Cup hopes.
“After sustaining a terrible injury against the Japanese, our midfielder will be sidelined for several months and will, unfortunately, likely miss the 2026 World Cup in the United States…,” the statement from the French club read.
Francis had only just returned to the Black Stars’ squad after missing the previous two call-ups and was unable to complete the match on his comeback.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed that Francis is currently stable after being rushed to the hospital for urgent treatment. He is expected to return to France to begin his rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, the Black Stars have departed for Seoul with a 21-man squad ahead of their friendly against South Korea on Tuesday.
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