Ghana’s coach has brought back Mohammed Kudus after a seven-month injury lay-off and handed first call-ups to two players ahead of tough games against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz has named a 24-man squad for Ghana's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia, and for a friendly against Morocco in October.
The headline name is Mohammed Kudus, who is back in the fold after recovering from an injury that kept him out for seven months and forced him to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Who else is in
The list is built mainly around the players Queiroz took to the World Cup, with two new faces added.
Jan Gyamerah of German club SV Elversberg and Ronald Donkor of New York Red Bulls in the United States' Major League Soccer earn their first call-ups. Both have been rewarded for strong club form, which will interest Ghanaians in the US who can now watch a locally called-up Black Star in their own league.
Defender Nathaniel Adjei is back in the squad after close to a year away. The France-based player has impressed for Lorient in Ligue 1, the top division of French football.
Two other returnees are winger Ibrahim Osman of Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League and midfielder Ibrahim Sulemana of Italian side Sassuolo.
In goal, Accra Hearts of Oak's Benjamin Asare keeps his place, a rare and welcome nod to the domestic league. He is joined by Lawrence Ati-Zigi and Joseph Anang.
The fixtures
Ghana face Côte d'Ivoire on Thursday, September 24. The Black Stars then host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29.
After the two qualifiers, the team travels to Morocco for an international friendly against the Atlas Lions on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The qualifiers are part of the road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the continent's biggest national team tournament. The friendly against Morocco, one of Africa's strongest sides in recent years, gives Queiroz a serious test of his squad depth outside competitive pressure.
Why it matters
For Ghanaian supporters, the return of Kudus is the biggest talking point. His absence from the World Cup was a heavy blow, and his fitness changes what the Black Stars can do in attack.
The inclusion of Asare also keeps alive the argument that the Ghana Premier League can still produce players for the national side, a point local fans have pressed for years.
Kick-off times and the final travelling party have not been detailed in the announcement. Supporters abroad, particularly in the United States, will want to confirm broadcast arrangements closer to the dates.
Reported first by Ghanaian Times on 2026-09-18. This article was written for our readers based on that report. Follow the link for the original coverage.
