Ghana's Black Stars have arrived in Bouake, Ivory Coast, ahead of their opening Group C fixture in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The team, led by head coach Carlos Queiroz, travelled from Accra on Wednesday morning and reached the Ivorian city later that day. They will hold their final training session at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Wednesday evening to acquaint themselves with the playing surface and complete tactical preparations for the match.
The Black Stars began preparations in Accra on Monday, conducting initial training sessions at the Accra Sports Stadium before travelling to Ivory Coast. Eighteen players participated in Tuesday's training session as the squad continued to take shape following several withdrawals and subsequent additions to the team. The team has been forced to revise their squad considerably ahead of the qualifying campaign, with several established players unavailable for the opening matches.
Key players such as Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, and Nathaniel Adjei will miss the encounter against Ivory Coast. To reinforce the squad, Queiroz has called up additional players, including Osasuna defender Rockson Yeboah, who has received his first senior international invitation after making three appearances in La Liga this season. The changes aim to strengthen the team for the crucial qualifier.
The match represents Ghana's first Group C assignment in the qualification process and carries significant importance after the Black Stars failed to secure a place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Ghana will begin the new qualification campaign seeking to establish an early foothold in a group that also contains The Gambia and Somalia. A strong start is essential for the team's confidence and momentum.
The Black Stars will face the Ivorians away from home on Thursday before returning to Accra to host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 27. This encounter provides Queiroz with his first competitive opportunity to guide Ghana in the new qualification campaign. He aims to build a team capable of navigating the group and securing qualification for the continental tournament.
With the squad affected by injuries and withdrawals, the final training session in Bouake is expected to be particularly important. The technical team will use this session to determine the starting lineup and tactical approach for the encounter. A positive result in Bouake will give Ghana a strong beginning to the campaign, while Ivory Coast will have the advantage of playing before their home supporters.
The immediate objective for the Black Stars is to negotiate the opening challenge in Bouake before shifting attention to the home encounter against The Gambia. A good performance in these matches will set the tone for Ghana's qualification campaign and provide the team with an opportunity to compete in front of their supporters. The team's performance will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.
Key points
- The Black Stars have arrived in Bouake, Ivory Coast, for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign opener against Ivory Coast.
- The team has been forced to revise their squad due to several established players being unavailable for the opening matches.
- A positive result in Bouake will give Ghana a strong beginning to the campaign.
