No, he has not been included in Ghana’s final squad due to a quad injury. The GFA looks forward to continuing its efforts to promote football development in Ghana and engage with stakeholders through initiatives like the MEET THE PRESS series. President Kurt Okraku took the media through the events leading up to Ghana’s campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 and other relevant matters regarding the team’s early exit https://ghanafootballlegends.com/legends/michael-essien-the-bison/ from the competition.
The confirmation comes as a major blow for Ghana, with Djiku having been expected to play a key role at the World Cup thanks to his experience and leadership at the back. The Portuguese coach declined to discuss the identity of Djiku’s replacement but made it clear that the squad had already been adjusted following the defender’s withdrawal. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has confirmed that defender Alexander Djiku will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury, ending speculation over the availability of one of the Black Stars’ most experienced defenders. The Black Stars swapped football boots for golf clubs on Sunday morning as part of… Four outstanding players have been nominated for the NASCO Ghana Premier League Player of the… Sign up to receive all things FAW, from team news, tickets, domestic, grassroots, to exclusive offers and prize draws.
“Now we’re to the same group of central backs in camp. The names you know, you saw them today on the pitch. So we’re ready to take off,” he added. “We have to make a decision and replace Alexander Djiku. It doesn’t matter who was the player that I called, Djiku was replaced,” Queiroz said. The 2026 Elite U15 Boys Colts Championship continued with another exciting round of matches on… Nations FC etched their name into Ghana football history on Saturday, beating Dreams FC 5-4… Three experienced and outstanding coaches have been shortlisted for the NASCO Coach of the Month…
When Carlos Queiroz unveiled Ghana’s 28-man squad for 2026 World cup preparation camp, on May 25, the immediate reaction was not excitement but bewilderment. Ghana have also been hit by injuries ahead of the World Cup. Mohammed Kudus has been ruled out of the tournament, while defender Alexander Djiku will also miss out after suffering an injury setback. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations and the first time Wales have hosted African opposition. The 30-year-old has endured nearly three years on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2022, a setback that has repeatedly stalled his comeback attempts. Ghana midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh has admitted he came close to walking away from football during his prolonged recovery from injury, describing the period as one of the most difficult phases of his career.
All three of those channels are available to stream on fubo in the United States. Thomas Partey currently holds this position with $36.4 million net worth from his Premier League career and African business investments. His former £200,000 weekly Arsenal salary established him as Ghana’s highest-earning active player. Asamoah Gyan accumulated $25-28 million through record-breaking contracts in China, UAE, and Turkey. Partey exemplified smart wealth management by investing his Arsenal earnings into businesses across Africa and Europe.
The initiative, delivered in partnership with Coach Hene Sporting Club, Ghanaians in the UK and Prince Lamona Consult, is aimed at identifying and engaging elite young talents to strengthen Ghana’s national teams for the future. Ghana is known for its energetic playing style, technical skill, and passionate fan support. The team has produced world-class players like Abedi Pele, Michael Essien and Asamoah Gyan who have been instrumental in raising Ghana’s profile on the global stage. The Ghana coach explained that managing player fitness and mental freshness had become a key part of international football, particularly ahead of a major tournament. To the GFA’s credit, they have gone to considerable lengths to explain the current process. The Communications Director revealed that the technical team reviewed approximately 200 player videos and monitored 170 matches live.
The public would have had the information it deserved without being strung along through a two-stage announcement that serves the administration more than it serves the supporters, the players, or the coach. For Mexico, this match is a crucial opportunity to refine their squad chemistry on home soil, with the team looking to build momentum ahead of their World Cup group stage opener. Ghana, meanwhile, is using this fixture to test fringe players and tactical variations. For Queiroz, the role represents another chapter in a long international career, but also a unique challenge — guiding one of Africa’s most storied national teams on the world stage. “The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association working with all key stakeholders, has appointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the senior national team, the Black Stars,” the GFA stated.
Established players in their late 20s often maximize earnings through lucrative Asian or Middle Eastern contracts. These leagues pay 2-3 times European salaries, allowing players to secure financial futures before retirement. Ghanaian players earn $8,000-$15,000 per match depending on competition importance. AFCON and World Cup campaigns offer substantial bonus structures, with qualification and progression bonuses reaching six figures for deep tournament runs.
There was nothing, not a single footballing reason that required the GFA to name 28 players, generate a week of public debate, and then quietly trim out two names the day before the friendly against Wales. The GFA’s two-stage squad announcement has manufactured controversy where none needed to exist and it is the latest symptom of an institution that has consistently failed the national team. This page displays a detailed overview of the club’s current squad. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. It also contains a table with average age, cumulative market value and average market value for each player position and overall.
His diversified portfolio generates passive income beyond football salaries. Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko’s top earners make $20,000-$40,000 yearly, forcing talented prospects to Europe by their late teens. The GFA highlighted this experience as central to his appointment, stating that he “boasts an extensive World Cup pedigree” and is expected to bring leadership and structure to the Black Stars setup. The teams in Ghana Premier League are placed in 3 groups. The team with the largest stadium is Asante Kotoko with the capacity of 40528.
His Shanghai SIPG contract paid £227,000 weekly, making him one of Africa’s highest-paid players during Asia’s football investment boom. Let’s see Ghanaian football stars’ career trajectories and see how they compare with other soccer players net worth worldwide. Ghana’s football export business thrives as European clubs compete for Black Stars talent. Mohammed Kudus’ £55 million transfer to Tottenham demonstrates the financial opportunities available to Ghana’s elite prospects through strategic European moves.
On June 1, when two players are dropped, there will be new headlines, new accusations, and new questions about why those specific two were cut. The process that was supposedly designed to reduce uncertainty has instead created a fortnight of rolling debate where a single announcement on May 25 would have sufficed. The match offers Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz another chance to assess his squad ahead of the tournament in North America, where Ghana will face Panama, England and Croatia in Group L. When the match starts, you will be able to follow Malawi vs Ghana live score, standings, minute by minute updated live results and match statistics.
Her Excellency Sabah Zita Benson praised the unity and enthusiasm shown throughout the event and reaffirmed the High Commission’s support for the initiative. Sign up for a FREE NewsNow account and get our email alert of the day’s top stories from the UK and around the world. Please go back to NewsNow in your browser, sign in via the menu and then go to your settings page and enter a password. Before you can sign in, you must add a password to your account. In 2026, the four-time African winners will be looking to change that when they play Panama, England, and Croatia, the bronze medallists from the previous tournament. In 2010, Ghana narrowly missed making it to the FIFA World Cup semifinals before losing to Uruguay in one of the most thrilling games in the competition’s history.
For Ghana, the fixture comes at an important stage of their World Cup preparations. Queiroz is still settling into his role after taking charge in April and has had limited time to work with the full squad. For today’s football schedule and results visit our football live score page. You can click on players from the roster above and see available personal information such as nationality, date of birth, height, preferred foot, position, player value, transfer history etc. Four players have earned places in the Black Queens squad for the June camping programme…
Players left out need a clear explanation as to why they have been left out, so does every supporter who has spent a week debating a squad that is not yet technically final. Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Jeffrey Schlupp was left out of the final squad and his agent went public with accusations of corruption within the GFA. Had Queiroz simply named a 26-man squad on May 25, the squad he was always going to take to the World Cup, the debate would have been sharper, clearer, and concluded in a single day. The GFA would have been obliged to defend a final decision rather than a provisional one.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.
Jordan Ayew is expected to captain Ghana, while Thomas Partey, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Ernest Nuamah and Christopher Bonsu Baah are among the players pushing for starting places. Wales, meanwhile, are using the game as an opportunity to continue building under coach Craig Bellamy despite missing out on qualification for the World Cup. “We want to play great football, we want to play to win and bring joy to our fans,” he said.
Tell the public why those 26 were chosen and the others were not. Queiroz arrived in April with credibility and a track record that commands respect. But a good coach cannot fix a broken institution when the institution has not fixed itself.
Across those appearances, he has overseen 13 World Cup matches, recording three wins, four draws and six defeats. GFA Technical Director Prof. Mintah also expressed satisfaction with the quality displayed during the exercise. President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, praised the collaboration behind the programme and highlighted its long-term importance for Ghana football. The exercise was overseen by GFA Technical Director Prof. Mintah and FIFA Talent Coach Stuart McLaren, alongside coaches from Coach Hene Sporting Club, who monitored standout performers throughout the programme.
The MEET THE PRESS series, instituted by President Okraku, aims to address Ghanaians through the media. The President, Executive Council Members, the General Secretary, Departmental and Committee heads, and other key officials have also been present to interact with the media. “For every in Ghana, that is the game they want to win,” Gyan added. “When it comes to world football, England are up there, but as a Ghanaian, I have to root for my boys. “We deserve to qualify for the World Cup in terms of how we played in the qualifiers. But in the AFCON qualifiers, it was a big disaster, we didn’t play that much to our level. “When you watch our World Cup games and then the AFCON qualifiers, there was a huge difference. There were a lot of criticisms around after failing to qualify for AFCON but the World Cup is huge.
The Wales friendly on June 2 is probably Ghana’s final preparatory match before the World Cup. Virtually every major footballing nation calls up exactly the players they intend to take to the tournament for their final pre-tournament warm-up, sometimes with one or two additional cover options. They do not name 28 players, generate a week of squad controversy, and then quietly trim out two names. In national teams, with few training minutes, it’s sometimes hard to build that collectiveness, that chemistry.
The Ajax man was present in the preliminary squad, but due to competition for the position, he might not have received a call-up from Carlos Queiroz. The Black Stars are going to face tough competition in the group stage as they will take on Panama, England and Croatia. The Association’s commitment to transparency and accountability was evident throughout the session, and the media could ask questions and seek clarification on various matters. Governed by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the Black Stars are one of Africa’s most successful and celebrated teams. The team has won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) several times and consistently ranks among the continent’s elite. Sign up for a FREE NewsNow account and get our daily email alert of the top transfer stories.
That’s why the game is beautiful — everything is possible, realistic and fantasy at the same time. While friendly in nature, the impending World Cup adds a competitive edge, as every player on the pitch will be fighting to cement their spot in the final tournament squads. For Mexico, this match is about asserting dominance and testing the cohesion of a roster packed with experienced talent, including stars like Edson Álvarez and Hirving Lozano. Having recently drawn 1-1 against Belgium, El Tri will be eager to secure a confidence-boosting victory in front of their home supporters.
“Some countries didn’t even respect FIFA’s mandatory period and scheduled cup finals until May 29. This is the modern game.” According to Queiroz, more than half of the squad were unavailable when preparations began because they were still involved in league and cup competitions with their clubs. Founder of Coachhene Sports Club, Emmanuel Afranie Jnr, described the initiative as a major milestone in strengthening pathways for young Ghanaian players in the diaspora. When the match starts, you will be able to follow Wales vs Ghana live score, standings, minute by minute updated live results and match statistics. Even though he is the oldest player in the current generation, he is still a dependable source of motivation.
Andre wears the captain’s armband and is one of the most capped players in the tournament. There is a notable parallel in Ghana’s tournament history. The team’s best World Cup run, the 2010 quarter-final came under Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac. Ghana’s worst performances have tended to come under coaches who operated in an environment where GFA influence was most visible. Carlos Queiroz, with his extensive international experience managing Portugal, Iran, Egypt, and others, may prove harder to manage internally than his predecessors. But the structures that enabled interference have not been dismantled, they have simply received a new occupant at the top.
The biggest name in Ghana’s squad is Arsenal midfielder Thomas Party, who will take charge of the midfield. Party’s presence is a big reason why Arsenal will challenge for the Premier League title this season, and he’s in fine shape as the World Cup approaches. The FIFA World Cup is around the corner and Ghana is one of the 32 teams which have qualified for the world cup.
Painful omissions such as Paintsil, Ashimeru and Köhn are not technically final yet. Officials can deflect questions by pointing to the June 1 announcement. It is a convenient posture that extends the uncertainty while managing the news cycle. By announcing 28 names rather than 26, the GFA has guaranteed a second wave of controversy.
Top domestic players earn $20,000-$40,000 yearly, with most professionals making $10,000-$25,000. This modest compensation forces talented prospects toward European academies that offer times higher wages immediately. Founder of Coach Hene Sporting Club, Emmanuel Afranie, described the programme as an important step in reconnecting talented young players of Ghanaian heritage with the national setup. Top stars like Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams are going to represent the Ghana national football team in FIFA’s flagship tournament. With a mixture of experience and youth, they will be looking for some positive outcomes.
In the qualifiers, he scored seven goals and provided seven assists. Antoine Semenyo, an attacker for Manchester City, will supply firepower up top. Mohammed Salisu also missed out after the Monaco centre back ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a Ligue 1 clash in January. But the squad did see a return after a three-year absence for 31-year-old Baba Abdul Rahman. The former Chelsea fullback was in the 2022 World Cup squad but has featured in only one international for Ghana since.
Ghana previous match was against Mexico in International Friendly Games, the match ended with result (Mexico won the match). Ghana’s midfield is powered by Thomas Partey of Villareal and Caleb Yirenkyi, a promising player from Nordsjaelland. In their subsequent two competitions, in 2014 and 2022, the Black Stars have failed to go past the competition’s group stage. Ghana had already been hit by the absence of Mohammed Kudus after he failed to recover from a thigh injury in a major blow to the country’s World Cup hopes. Those campaigns remain reminders that Ghana have often thrived when the odds looked steep.
Big stars come and want to express themselves, sometimes without that connection. Today — the day before the game — is the first time we have the team together. To go into a World Cup warm-up friendly with players arriving the day before… it’s about innovations in the game. I was caught by surprise with unusual situations in previous competitions. In the last two World Cups, I covered myself by convincing a development player to be with us, be part of the team, and be ready. Alexander Djiku was a decent centre-back option for the Ghana national football team in recent years.
The appointment signals a shift towards experience and pragmatism, with the GFA turning to a coach known for his structured approach and ability to organise teams against stronger opposition. The Black Stars had also lost their previous four games and failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations despite a squad featuring Premier League-based players such as Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo. “The level of talent and professionalism we witnessed here was very encouraging. These young players are developing in some of the best academies in the world, and initiatives like this allow us to engage them early and monitor their progress closely,” Prof. Mintah noted.
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