Ghana arrives at the 2026 World Cup in alarming form, with seven straight winless matches, a sudden coaching change, an unresolved scandal involving a key player, and a new kit already drawing criticism. The Black Stars open their group against Panama, before far tougher meetings with England and Croatia, and the article warns that, based on recent results, Ghana may struggle even to survive the group stage.
The team has gone from a solid qualifying run to a sharp decline. After missing only the 2018 World Cup since their debut in 2006, Ghana finished first in its qualifying group with eight wins in 10 matches, seven points ahead of the rest. Jordan Ayew, now 34 and coming off relegation with Leicester, was central to that campaign with seven goals and seven assists.
Less than 72 days before kickoff, Ghana fired Otto Addo and replaced him with Carlos Queiroz, the 73-year-old Portuguese coach who has nearly 40 years of experience and has taken part in four World Cup campaigns with Portugal and Iran. But his first matches ended badly, a 2-0 loss to Mexico and a 1-1 draw with Wales, after Addo’s final friendlies included a 5-1 defeat in Austria and a 2-1 loss to Germany.
Antoine Semenyo is viewed as Ghana’s main bright spot, with Manchester City prepared to pay £65 million for him in the winter window. He will be asked to carry the attack in the absence of injured midfielder Mohammed Kudus. The squad also includes Abdul Fatawu, who scored nine and assisted seven for Leicester in the Championship, Thomas Partey in midfield, and Inaki Williams in attack. But Ghana lacks a world-class goalkeeper and has defensive weaknesses, especially without injured Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu.
Queiroz defended the inclusion of Villarreal’s Williams, who has been booed in warm-ups after facing multiple rape and sexual assault allegations from four different women. He said, “Let events do their work, let the river flow. One day the river will meet the ocean and we will find the truth. The media has a role in this.”
