Some key players, including Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, are missing from the squad listed to play Japan in the friendlies tomorrow.

Their absence has sparked reactions from fans and pundits seeking explanations for the absence of such players.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has responded, stating that their exclusion was based on legitimate reasons. Speaking during an interview on Asempa FM in Accra, yesterday, Wednesday, November 12, the Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Twum, clarified that their absence is to allow budding talents to prove their worth in the senior national team.

Head coach Otto Addo opted to give opportunities to emerging talents, including Kelvin Nkrumah, Prince Kwabena Adu, and Prince Osei Owusu.

According to Henry, it was mutual consent that some key players were left out of the squad;some needed to rest.

“Absentees from the Black Stars squad for the Japan and South Korea friendly games are due to legitimate reasons and not the travelling distance. We all came to an agreement that some players will need to rest while others are nursing injuries, so we had to let them stay behind. The new faces in the squad have been on the radar of the technical team for some time now, and this is an opportunity for them to prove their worth in these games,” he said.

He further noted that the friendlies form part of a broader development plan aimed at building a strong team for future competitions.

“These friendly games are aimed at working on something within the Black Stars setup and among the players. We just want to make use of the best talents for the future,” he added.

The Black Stars opened camp on Tuesday, November 11, and have already held their first training session ahead of their match tomorrow in the Kirin Cup on Friday, November 14, before taking on South Korea on November 18. The matches are part of the team’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Both Japan and South Korea have already booked their places at the 2026 World Cup and are expected to field full-strength lineups, providing Ghana with a crucial test ahead of next year’s continental and global competitions.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed the arrival of eighteen players at the Black Stars’ camp at the Ana Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nagoya as they prepare ahead of Ghana’s friendly match with Japan on November 14.

In a statement shared by GFA yesterday, Tuesday, November 11, the football governing body explained that, “eighteen players are currently in camp at the Ana Crowne Plaza hotel in Nagoya ahead of the international friendly against Japan on Friday, November 14, 2025. Sixteen of them arrived on Tuesday to join two home-based players, Kelvin Nkrumah and Prince Owusu, who departed Accra on Sunday”.

Sixteen players arrived on Tuesday to join home-based talents Kelvin Nkrumah and Prince Owusu, who travelled from Accra on Sunday.

The current squad in camp includes Joseph Anang, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Derrick Kohn, Jerome Opoku, Ebenezer Annan, Jonas Adjetey, Kojo Oppong Peprah, Caleb Yirenkyi, Alidu Seidu, and Gideon Mensah.

Other members are Abu Francis, Kwasi Sibo, Prince Owusu, Kamal Deen Sulemana, Antoine Semenyo, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Kelvin Nkrumah, and Prince Adu Kwabena.

More of the squad are expected to join camp on Wednesday, 12 November; they include,

“Accra Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, who was in goal for his side in the Super Clash against Asante Kotoko on Sunday, will join the squad on Wednesday. Also expected on Wednesday are Christopher Bonsu Baah, Prince Osei Owusu, and Mohammed Salisu.

Ghana sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Comoros in their final Group I qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 12, marking the country’s fifth appearance at football’s biggest tournament.

The Asian tour forms part of the Ghana Football Association’s broader plan to give coach Otto Addo the platform to evaluate his squad and fine-tune tactics before the global showpiece.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama hopes the Black Stars will aim higher beyond their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has urged the team to emulate Morocco and, in broader terms, envision doing more.

President Mahama cited Morocco as a model because it made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals.

Referring to an unforgettable situation in the history of Ghana football, where Asamoah’s penalty miss cost Ghana’s place in the semi-finals, he urged the team,

“We must follow in the footsteps of Morocco by going beyond the semi-finals and, who knows, with fingers crossed, bring the World Cup trophy home to make Ghana and Africa proud”.

He further went on to call on Ghanaians to support the team without any bias.

“We must all rally behind the Black Stars. We must support them to the hilt. Let’s not bring in any partisan or ethnic considerations. Let’s give them our full support,” he added.

Following a group-stage exit at their previous World Cup in Qatar, Ghana now hope to make a lasting impact in the 2026 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino congratulated Ghana for securing its ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a congratulatory message shared via video on the football governing body’s Instagram, Infantino praised the four-time African champions for their achievement and expressed excitement about their return to the world stage.