Ghana at the 2026 World Cup: roster, list, players and group stage schedule

Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time strike against Panama significantly increased Ghana’s chances of making it through to the knockout stage. That would be quite some achievement for the African nation, who have taken part in six World Cups and only made it past the group stage twice (in 2006 and 2010).

Three weeks ago, coach Carlos Queiroz named his 26-man roster for the tournament - assembling a squad packed with speed, experience and attacking talent. The Black Stars entered as one of Africa’s most intriguing contenders, carrying hopes of another deep World Cup run and the potential to surprise some of the competition’s biggest names.

One unusual feature of the squad is the inclusion of five goalkeepers, giving Queiroz significant depth between the posts as Ghana prepares for the month-long tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Ghana World Cup 2026 roster

Goalkeepers

• Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak FC)
• Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen)
• Joseph Anang (St Patrick’s Athletic)
• Salomon Agbasi (Accra Hearts of Oak FC)
• Paul Reverson (Ajax)

Defenders

• Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK)
• Gideon Mensah (Auxerre)
• Marvin Senaya (Auxerre)
• Alidu Seidu (Rennes)
• Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano)
• Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir)
• Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg)
• Kojo Oppong Preprah (Nice)
• Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow)

Midfielders

• Elisha Owusu (Auxerre)
• Thomas Partey (Villarreal)
• Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo)
• Augustine Boakye (Saint-Étienne)
• Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjælland)
• Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City)
• Kamal Deen Sulemana (Atalanta)

Forwards

• Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadisiah)
• Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyonnais)
• Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City)
• Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City)
• Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen)
• Iñaki Williams (Athletic Club)
• Jordan Ayew (Leicester City)

Ghana faces difficult Group L challenge

Ghana were drawn into Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia. The group presents a demanding path to the knockout rounds, with England and Croatia bringing extensive international experience. It means that the opening victory against Panama could prove even more valuable in the team’s quest to advance to the next round.

Let’s look at Ghana’s group stage schedule. For American audiences, all kickoff times below are listed in Eastern Time:

• Ghana 1-0 Panama – June 17, 7:00 p.m. ET
• England vs. Ghana – June 23, 4:00 p.m. ET
• Croatia vs. Ghana – June 23, 5:00 p.m. ET

Experience and firepower key to Ghana’s hopes

The squad features a strong core of players competing across Europe’s top leagues, including Partey, Williams, Ayew, Sulemana and Nuamah. That combination of veteran leadership and explosive attacking pace could make Ghana one of the most dangerous teams outside the tournament favorites as it looks to advance beyond the group stage.

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