Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Okraku has dismissed suggestions that any Black Stars player has deliberately withdrawn from the squad ahead of the team's opening matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Ghana have been hit by a series of high-profile absences, with several key players ruled out due to injury or personal reasons. Okraku insists the players' reasons for missing the matches are genuine and should not be questioned.
The withdrawals have sparked debate among supporters over whether some players were reluctant to join the national team for the upcoming fixtures against Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia. However, Okraku emphasized that the players' absences are due to legitimate reasons, including injuries sustained during their club commitments. He noted that many professional footballers play a high number of games and undergo intense training regimes, which can lead to medical issues.
Okraku stated that no Ghanaian player has intentionally withdrawn from the squad since he became the FA President. He cited examples of players forcing themselves to play at club level despite being employed full-time, which can exacerbate existing medical issues. According to Okraku, it is common for teams to experience a minimum of five players pulling out to address their medical needs.
The latest setbacks have forced head coach Carlos Queiroz to make several additions to his squad ahead of the start of the qualifying campaign. New players, including Brandon Thomas-Asante, Felix Afena-Gyan, and Jonas Adjetey, have been drafted into the team. Additionally, Rockson Yeboah and Rahim Ibrahim have earned their first senior national team call-ups, providing Queiroz with more options to consider.
Ghana begin their Group C campaign away to Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké on 24 September before returning home to face Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later. The four-time African champions are seeking a return to the continental showpiece after failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco — the first time in more than two decades that Ghana missed out on the tournament.
The Black Stars will conclude the international window with a friendly against Morocco in Tangier on 4 October as preparations continue for the rest of the qualifying campaign. This match will provide Queiroz with an opportunity to assess his team's progress and make further adjustments ahead of the upcoming qualifiers.
Key players, including Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, Baba Rahman, Nathaniel Adjei, and Alidu Seidu, have all been ruled out due to injury or personal reasons. Despite these setbacks, Okraku remains confident that the team will perform well in the upcoming matches.
Key points
- No Black Stars player has deliberately withdrawn from the squad, according to GFA president Kurt Okraku.
- Ghana face Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia in their opening 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
- The team will also play a friendly against Morocco on 4 October.
