
I don't set targets for myelf - Nana Aba Anamoah
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1st September 2025 3:16:34 PM
4 mins readBy: Abigail Ampofo
About fourteen Black Stars players have touched down in Ghana to prepare for their clash against Mali and Chad ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Wednesday, August 27, announced that the senior national team, Black Stars, will open camp on Monday, September 1.
Consequently, the team’s official social media handles shared updates on the players’ arrivals as they checked into camp.
While they await the arrival of the former Arsenal defensive midfielder and current forward of Villarreal forward, Thomas Partey and Spurs' Mohammed Kudus, about 14 players have arrived at the team’s hotel in Accra. They are reported to have arrived yesterday, Sunday, August 31.
Those already in camp include Antoine Semenyo, Tariq Lamptey, Elisha Owusu, Ibrahim Osman, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Abdul Salis Samed, Jerry Afriyie, Joseph Anang, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Benjamin Asare, Jonas Adjetey, Ibrahim Sulemana, Mohammed Salisu, and Caleb Yirenkyi.
The team will travel to N’Djamena to face Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4, before returning home to host Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.
Currently, Black Stars sit atop Group I in the African Qualifiers with 15 points following five wins and one loss from six matches.
Ghana Black Stars coach, Otto Addo, has released the lineup for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chad, Mali.
Coach Otto Addo formally announced the Black Stars squad for Ghana’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali on the evening of Tuesday, August 26.
The release included a full list of 24 players, featuring both returning stars and debutants. Some players were rewarded for their stellar performances in the Unity Cup and also in their respective clubs.
Out of the twenty-four-man squad, four of them are debutants for the senior national team.
Union Berlin forward, Derrick Arthur Köhn, secured a call-up after an outstanding season in Germany, and Caleb Yirenkyi of FC Nordsjaelland was also called up again following his display of maturity and excellent form during the Unity Cup and at the club level.
Christopher Bonsu Baah of Al-Qadsiah was also included in Otto Addo's squad. Following his giant strides in the Saudi.
Goalkeeper Joseph Anang of St. Patrick’s Athletic, based in Ireland, also got his first senior nod.
Players like Tariq Lamptey, who has been away following an injury, have also been called back.
According to Otto Addo's list, the goalkeepers include Lawrence Ati Zigi, Joseph Anang and popular Hearts of Oak keeper Benjamin Asare, who earned admiration of many following his impressive display in his last call-up.
See the list below:GoalkeepersLawrence Ati Zigi – St. Gallen
Joseph Anang – St. Patrick's Athletic
Benjamin Asare – Accra Hearts of Oak
DefendersGideon Mensah – AJ Auxerre
Derrick Arthur Köhn – Union Berlin
Mohammed Salisu – AS Monaco
Jerome Opoku – İstanbul Başakşehir
Alexander Djiku – Fenerbahçe
Jonas Adjetey – FC Basel
Tariq Lamptey – Brighton & Hove Albion
Caleb Yirenkyi – FC Nordsjaelland
MidfieldersElisha Owusu – AJ Auxerre
Mohammed Kudus – Tottenham Hotspur
Ibrahim Osman – AJ Auxerre
Ibrahim Sulemana – Atalanta BC
Thomas Partey – Villarreal CF
Abdul Salis Samed – OGC Nice
ForwardsAntoine Semenyo – AFC Bournemouth
Kamaldeen Sulemana – Atalanta BC
Joseph Paintsil – LA Galaxy
Jerry Afriyie – RAAL La Louvière
Jordan Ayew – Leicester City
Christopher Bonsu Baah – Al-Qadsiah
Iñaki Williams – Athletic Club
On Thursday, September 4, the team will face Chad at Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno and Mali on Monday, September 8, at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Meanwhile, Partey and Mohammed Kudus have been called back following their absence in the last call-up for the Unity Cup in May.
In an unrelated development, two notable players in the Black Stars were missing from Otto Addo's squad list, which was released to feature in the upcoming 2025 Unity Cup, set to take place in London, England.
Arsenal midfielder and West Ham's 'goal machine,' Mohammed Kudus, were both anticipated to miss the four-nation tournament, which was set to kick off in the next two days and three days, right after the end of the Premier League.
Though the reasons behind their absenteeism remained unknown, this was a major blow for Ghana, given the two players' performances so far, both in the just-ended Premier League and in the last few matches they featured in for Ghana.
In Ghana’s last two matches, both players were instrumental. Partey controlled the midfield in Ghana’s 2-1 win against Mali, making crucial interceptions and distributing the ball effectively.
Kudus, meanwhile, was the standout performer in Ghana’s 3-0 victory over the Central African Republic, scoring a brace and assisting another goal.
Other absentees also included Antoine Semenyo, Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Inaki Williams.
Meanwhile, a few new faces joined the squad, among them was Barcelona youngster Abdul Aziz Issah.
Some returnees also included Abdul Salis Samed, who has recovered from injury; Asante Kotoko striker Kwame Opoku, who received his first call-up since 2021; and Felix Afena-Gyan, returning for the first time since 2022.
However, Captain Jordan Ayew, Gideon Mensah, Mohammed Salisu, and Benjamin Asare all retained their spots from the previous call-up.
The senior national team was scheduled to participate in a four-nation tournament that features Nigeria, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago in the United Kingdom in May.
The four-day tournament began from the 28th to the 30th of May, where Ghana faced long-time West African rivals Nigeria's Super Eagles in the semifinal.
The tournament was played at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, with a kickoff at 19:00 GMT.
The winner of that encounter qualified for the final slated for May 31, with a 12:30 GMT kick-off, to take on either Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago.
The Unity Cup fixtures served as a key part of Ghana’s preparations for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
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