Ghana had a great tournament in 2014, being a handball away from being the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. But they have failed to match that achievement since.
The Black Stars have bowed out at the group stages in each of their two World Cup appearances since, while failing to qualify in 2018. So the current crop will be hoping to bring back the success of 16 years ago.
Get all the latest Ghana stats as the tournament unfolds plus the latest squad, manager and fixture information for the African side here.
Ghana route to the World Cup
After several disjointed years, many expected Ghana to face a difficult qualifying campaign. They entered Group I alongside Madagascar, Mali and Comoros. Given the strength of the group, few would have been surprised if Ghana had struggled.
Instead, the Black Stars seemed to finally find some rhythm. They finished the 10 game group with 25 points, winning eight and drawing one of those games. Otto Addo clearly placed a particular emphasis on shoring up the defence and it paid dividends with his team conceding only six goals and keeping seven clean sheets on their way to topping the group.
However, that performance was not enough to secure Addo’s position for this tournament. Disappointment in Afcon qualifying likely influenced the decision. The federation replaced the long-serving coach with the vastly experienced Carlos Queiroz. They made the change just two months before the tournament began.
Ghana World Cup 2026 fixtures
Ghana will aim to start their tournament with a victory against Panama. The two sides meet at BMO Field in Toronto on 17th June.
They then travel south of the USA-Canada border to face England. That match takes place at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts on 23rd June.
Finally, the Black Stars will face Croatia in their third group game in Philadelphia on 27th June. Should they top the group, the African side will play their first knock-out stage game in Atlanta on 1st July.
READ MORE: Get the latest Ghana World Cup 2026 outright odds here
Ghana key players for World Cup 2026
Ghana top World Cup Golden Boot contender: Antoine Semenyo
- Key stat: Antoine Semenyo scored 17 times in the Premier League this season for Bournemouth and Manchester City.
Antoine Semenyo enjoyed a strong 2025/26 Premier League season with Bournemouth and Manchester City. He scored 17 times across the campaign, switching from the Cherries to the Citizens in January.
Although not the most prolific at international level with just three goals from his 34 caps so far, the 26 year old will hope to take on more of the attacking impetus at this tournament particularly with Mohammed Kudus injured.
Semenyo’s game has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons and he will provide an explosive element to the Ghana attack at this tournament.
Ghana primary playmaker: Jordan Ayew
- Key stat: No player managed more assists in the CAF World Cup qualifiers than Ghana captain Jordan Ayew who ended the campaign with seven.
Leicester City’s Jordan Ayew remains a popular figure within the Ghana team and he’ll captain the side at this summer’s World Cup. With 117 caps for the Black Stars he has the experience and intelligence required to break opposition teams down and his seven assists in qualifying were pivotal in securing top spot in Group I. The 34-year-old remains a well-rounded attacking threat even as he approaches the latter stages of his career.
Ghana card magnets & top tacklers: Elisha Owusu
- Key stat: Elisha Owusu was booked twice in qualifying and he’s also been carded six times in Ligue 1 appearances this season.
Auxerre midfielder Elisha Owusu has managed to force his way into the Ghana side in recent times and his ball-winning abilities at the base of the midfield could prove key as a ballast for the attacking talents ahead of him. The 28-year-old has been carded six times in 21 appearances in Ligue 1 at the time of writing but his tackling stats are among the best in the French top-tier as he averages 2.6 per 90 minutes played.
Ghana rising star: Caleb Yirenkyi
Caleb Yirenkyi has drawn comparisons to Michael Essien for his quality passing and ability to win the ball back in the early stages of his career. The 20-year-old is currently plying his trade for Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga – a team that have brought through many high quality African talents in recent years. With eight caps to his name already, he could be set to propel himself to superstardom at this summer’s World Cup.
STAND-OUT STAT: Ghana are the only African nation to have scored in 11 different World Cup matches, scoring in all three games in 2006, 2014 and 2022 despite being knocked out in the group stages in all three of those tournaments.
Ghana set-piece specialists
- Penalties: Jordan Ayew
- Free kicks: Jordan Ayew
- Corners: Jordan Ayew
Tactical analysis and formation
Carlos Queiroz has a good range of options in what is a fairly deep squad, with some talented young stars potentially missing out on his starting eleven this summer. Jordan Ayew will likely start as the central striker, with Antoine Semenyo and Abdul Fatawu set to take up the wide spots either side of him.
In midfield, Thomas Partey and Elisha Owusu provide a sturdy base. Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu misses out through injury so Jerome Opoku and Jonas Adjetey could be the first-choice defenders ahead of Lawrence Ati-Zigi between the sticks.
Get the latest Ghana World Cup goals, shots, tackle, assist stats are more here.
Ghana manager analysis
Ghana have made a big decisions ahead of the World Cup. Otto Addo was sacked after two defeats in friendlies in March, against Germany and Austria. They’ve lost their last four games and the Ghana Football Association were clearly worried about their World Cup hosts.
Carlos Queiroz has been brought in to manage for the World Cup, and it will be his 10th job in international management. He has overseen four World Cup tournaments, with one for Portugal and three at Iran.
| Coach | Team | P | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Queiroz | Ghana | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ghana World Cup FAQs
Have Ghana ever won the World Cup?
No, Ghana have never qualified past the quarter-final stage at the World Cup. This will be the fifth tournament for which they have qualified.
Where did Ghana finish in the last World Cup?
Ghana were knocked out in the group stages at the last World Cup. Despite a 3-2 win over South Korea, defeats against Portugal and Uruguay in a very tough group sent the Black Stars home at the first hurdle.
Who will be Ghana captain at the World Cup?
Jordan Ayew is the current Ghana captain. With 117 caps to his name he is one of the most experienced members of Carlos Queiroz’s squad.
Who is Ghana’s top scorer at World Cups?
Asamoah Gyan is not only the highest-scoring Ghanaian, he is also the highest-scoring African player in World Cup history. The former Sunderland striker scored six goals across his three World Cups in 2006, 2010 and 2014 including his country’s first ever World Cup goal against Czech Republic in 2006.
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