Ghanaian footballer Mohammed Kudus has withdrawn from the national squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The 26-year-old midfielder, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, will continue his recovery from a quadriceps injury rather than joining the Black Stars during the current international window. Kudus was named in the 24-man squad by coach Carlos Queiroz just days earlier. His withdrawal is a significant setback for the team.
Kudus suffered a quadriceps injury in January 2026 during a Premier League match against Sunderland and spent about seven months on the sidelines. A setback in April required further specialist assessment, keeping him out of Ghana's 2026 World Cup campaign. His last appearance for the Black Stars was on October 12, 2025, when he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 World Cup qualifier against Comoros in Accra. Kudus's club return has been gradual, with several substitute outings and a recent start in a Carabao Cup match.
The Ghana Football Association and Queiroz were informed of Kudus's decision, and the technical staff has moved to cover the gap. Mohammed Fuseini, a 24-year-old forward from Derby County, received a late call-up to replace Kudus. Fuseini, on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise, scored a 93rd-minute equalizer for his Championship side against Burnley at the weekend. He previously made his Ghana debut at the 2025 Unity Cup, scoring against Trinidad and Tobago.
Ghana's AFCON qualifiers begin with a difficult away match against Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24, followed by a home match against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29. The team will then travel to Morocco for a friendly on October 4. The qualifiers are a priority for Queiroz, who was reappointed in early September after a brief post-World Cup pause.
Kudus's absence removes a player capable of deciding tight matches, and his ability to carry the ball, create overloads, and finish would have been valuable against an organized opponent. Two teams from Group C, which includes Ivory Coast, Ghana, The Gambia, and Somalia, will advance to the finals co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Queiroz has to rely on other attackers to step forward in Bouaké.
Kudus's club path has been one of high expectation, emerging at Nordsjælland and starring at Ajax before moving to West Ham United and then Tottenham. The lengthy layoff interrupted that momentum, and both player and club appear determined not to rush the final stages of recovery. A positive result against Ivory Coast would ease pressure before the home meeting with The Gambia.
The timing of Kudus's withdrawal is awkward for Ghana, and Queiroz will need to adjust his strategy for the qualifiers. The Black Stars missed the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending a long run of appearances at the continental tournament. Queiroz guided the side to the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup, where they were eliminated 1-0 by Colombia.
Key points
- Mohammed Kudus withdraws from Ghana's AFCON qualifiers squad due to ongoing recovery from injury.
- Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, names Mohammed Fuseini as Kudus's replacement in the squad.
- The Black Stars begin their AFCON qualifiers against Côte d'Ivoire on September 24.
