Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has responded to swirling concerns regarding his player selection for the global football tournament, FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Speaking during an interview with 3Sports, which was aired on Tuesday, October 15, Otto Addo explicitly stated that players who have ignored their calls despite continuous efforts from the national team’s technical staff since 2021 should not expect any call-up now that the Black Stars have secured their ticket to the World Cup.

“We will look at each case one by one. There are players I have been chasing since 2021, who didn’t reply to our calls or want to come. It’s a different thing if we haven’t approached you and now you want to come. But if we have been approaching you all the way and you said no, and now we are at the World Cup, so you want to come, that’s a different matter,” Addo said.

His remarks follow reports that Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah are considering switching allegiance to play for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

On his part, unity and commitment from and among the players have played a significant role in the team's performance, hence the need to check a player’s commitment before giving them an opportunity.

“I think Ghana should always have a certain pride. As a country, we need to check the commitment of each player. We have very good unity, and we don’t want to destroy it by bringing in players who don’t have commitment,” he added.

About Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah

Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah are both English-born footballers of Ghanaian descent. Hudson-Odoi plays for Nottingham Forest, while Nketiah plays for Crystal Palace.

News about their joining Black Star surfaced around 2021-2023; however, it died out after reports of the players' request for more time to ponder over the offer and make a decision.

However, this month, it was reported that, following Ghana's heavy win against the Central African Republic, these players have expressed their readiness to join the team in Ghana.

Nketiah, during an appearance on The Beautiful Game podcast openly declared, “If Ghana invites me, then I’ll be there.”

Oddoi, on the other hand, in June 2021, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, was allegedly contacted by the Ghana FA officials about switching allegiance. Soon after, he visited Ghana that summer, and he met with President Akufo-Addo and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif, who urged him to consider playing for the Black Stars, but Hudson-Odoi did not commit.

Subsequently, in November 2021, Oddoi, during a BBC Interview “I think obviously when you’re young and you’ve played for England, that’s something that you’re always proud of… but I feel like Ghana is my home as well.”

He added that he was “open to anything” and would make a decision when the time was right.

Also, Hudson-Odoi did not respond to Ghana’s invitations for AFCON 2023 qualifiers. But Ghana FA President Kurt Okraku confirmed in early 2023 that Hudson-Odoi had been contacted but had not completed the FIFA nationality switch.

Meanwhile, 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.

While they look forward to finding out who their group-stage opponents will be when the official draw is held on December 5, they will embark on an Asian tour to face South Korea and Japan as part of their preparations for the World Cup next year.

This was officially announced by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on October 9, in a press release following Ghana’s 5–0 victory over the Central African Republic.

The first clash is scheduled for November 14 in Toyota as part of the prestigious Kirin Cup, against Japan, before they travel to Seoul to face South Korea three days later, on November 17.

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.

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 they made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals.

Ghana sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Comoros courtesy of a decisive goal from Mohammed Kudus 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.

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.

The Black Stars will discover their group-stage opponents during the World Cup draw on December 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

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.

“Congratulations to the Black Stars on reaching the FIFA World Cup for the fifth time in history. Your fans will bring colours, style and passion to the greatest FIFA World Cup ever in 20226 in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“We expect that your team will establish more global stars to follow in the footsteps of the famous team that made the quarterfinals of the tournament in South Africa in 2010, but for now, enjoy this special moment, and we cannot wait to see who the Black Stars will face when we have the final tournament draw on the 5th of December.

“See you very soon and well. Congratulations!”