Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has named a 24-man squad for Ghana’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, as well as an international friendly against Morocco.
The squad features a blend of experienced players and emerging talents as the Portuguese coach begins a new chapter with the national team following his reappointment earlier this month.
Ghana will begin its AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with a difficult away fixture against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24.
The Black Stars will then return home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29 before travelling to Morocco for an international friendly against the Atlas Lions on October 4.
Goalkeepers
Queiroz has selected three goalkeepers for the upcoming assignments.
Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare has been included alongside Lawrence Ati-Zigi of St. Gallen and St Patrick’s Athletic shot-stopper Joseph Anang.
The trio will compete for the starting position as Ghana prepares for the opening matches of the qualifying campaign.
Defensive options
The defensive department includes a combination of established Black Stars players and younger options.
Gideon Mensah, Baba Rahman, Jan Gyamerah, Derrick Luckassen, Nathaniel Adjei, Jerome Opoku, Kojo Oppong Peprah and Alexander Djiku have all been selected.
Nathaniel Adjei returns to the squad after missing out on previous selections, while Gyamerah and Oppong Peprah provide additional options in defence.
Gyamerah has also earned his maiden call-up to the senior national team after impressing with his recent club performances.
Midfield reshuffle
In midfield, Queiroz has opted for Kwasi Sibo, Caleb Yirenkyi, Augustine Boakye, Ronald Donkor and Ibrahim Sulemana.
The inclusion of Ronald Donkor represents another new face under the Portuguese coach, with the midfielder receiving his first Black Stars call-up.
Ibrahim Sulemana, meanwhile, returns to the squad as Queiroz assesses his options ahead of the competitive fixtures.
The midfield selection also highlights the coach’s willingness to introduce new players as he seeks to build a team capable of competing in the AFCON qualifiers.
Strong attacking options
Ghana’s attack contains several familiar names, including captain Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Kudus.
The other forwards selected are Christopher Bonsu Baah, Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Antoine Semenyo, Ibrahim Osman and Prince Adu Kwabena.
Kudus’ return is one of the major talking points from the squad announcement.
The midfielder missed Ghana’s 2026 World Cup campaign because of injury. According to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), he has now recovered from the injury that kept him sidelined for seven months and is available for selection.
Nathaniel Adjei, Ibrahim Osman and Ibrahim Sulemana have also returned to the squad.
Notable absences
The latest squad does not include Thomas Partey, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Brandon Thomas-Asante, all of whom were part of Ghana’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Their absence means Queiroz will have to rely on other players as Ghana begins its campaign for a place at the 2027 AFCON tournament.
The new-look squad comes shortly after Queiroz was reappointed as Black Stars head coach earlier this month.
He agreed to a new mandate with the Ghana Football Association as the team enters another phase under his leadership.
Ghana’s Group C campaign
Ghana has been drawn into Group C of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers alongside Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia.
The Black Stars will therefore face Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in their first two qualifying matches before the friendly against Morocco.
Under the qualification format, the top two teams in each group will secure qualification for the tournament, with a special arrangement applying to groups involving the co-hosts.
With a mixture of experienced players, returning stars and debutants, Queiroz will now begin preparations for what promises to be a demanding opening round of fixtures.
The Black Stars’ first major test will come against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24, when Ghana officially begins its journey towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
