Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, has been dealt a significant blow with the withdrawal of forward Antoine Semenyo from the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. According to reports, Semenyo requested to be excused from the September-October international window to focus on recovering from a niggling ankle injury. The Manchester City forward had made an impressive start to the Premier League season, scoring two goals and providing three assists in five appearances.
Alidu Seidu has also withdrawn from the Black Stars squad due to fitness concerns. The 26-year-old defender was initially not included in head coach Carlos Queiroz's squad but received a late invitation after squad changes. However, Seidu has declined the call-up as he continues to manage his fitness following a late loan move to French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice. He made his debut for Nice last Sunday, coming off the bench to play 32 minutes in their 2-1 victory over Lille.
Abdul Rahman Baba has been ruled out of the Black Stars squad due to fitness issues. The experienced left-back reported for assessment but medical checks confirmed that he is not fit to feature during the upcoming international window. This represents another setback for head coach Carlos Queiroz, who is already dealing with a growing list of unavailable players ahead of Ghana's crucial AFCON qualifiers.
The Black Stars are also without several other key players, including Mohammed Kudus and Thomas Partey, who have all been ruled out of the current international assignment. Ghana will be hoping that the remaining players can stay fit and give Queiroz enough options to navigate what promises to be a demanding international window. The team will open their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign with a difficult away fixture against Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké before hosting The Gambia.
In response to the latest absences, the Black Stars have made a number of late call-ups. Brandon Thomas-Asante, Felix Afena-Gyan, and Jonas Adjetey are among the players added to the squad, while Rockson Yeboah and Rahim Ibrahim have received their first call-ups to the senior national team. The team will travel to Bouake to face Côte d'Ivoire on Thursday, September 24, before hosting The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later.
The Black Stars missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and will be determined to make a strong start to their qualification campaign for the next edition. Ghana's latest withdrawal has left Queiroz with another change to make as he prepares the Black Stars for the opening AFCON qualifying fixtures. The team will need to adapt quickly to the changes and find a way to secure positive results against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) is expected to clarify the situation with Semenyo's injury and the team's preparations for the upcoming qualifiers. The Black Stars will be looking to bounce back from their recent setbacks and make a strong statement in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. With the team facing a demanding international window, Queiroz will need to make the most of the available players to achieve his goals.
Key points
- Antoine Semenyo, Alidu Seidu, and Abdul Rahman Baba have withdrawn from the Ghana squad due to injury and fitness concerns.
- The Black Stars are also without key players Mohammed Kudus and Thomas Partey for the upcoming AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
- Ghana will face Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia in their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, starting with an away fixture in Bouaké on September 24.
