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Ghana have unveiled a 24-man squad for their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ivory Coast and Gambia, with Mohammed Kudus returning to the Black Stars after a long spell out of action through injury.
Coach Carlos Queiroz also recalled several familiar faces as he handed first international call-ups to SV Elversberg defender Jan Gyamerah and New York Red Bulls midfielder Ronald Donkor.
The team will be in action during a busy international window starting with a trip to Ivory Coast on September 24, followed by a home match against Gambia five days later. Project reports
Ghana will then conclude the window with an international friendly against Morocco in Tangier on 4 October. The three matches will provide Queiroz with an initial opportunity to evaluate his squad as he begins to shape the Black Stars for the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
Kudus is the title of the returnees
Kudus’ return is easily the most notable development from the latest team.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker missed Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign after an injury kept him out of action for seven months. His recovery has now paved the way for a return to the national team as Ghana begin their search for a place at the 2027 AFCON in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Kudus is expected to add attacking quality and experience to a squad containing several players who featured prominently during Ghana’s recent World Cup campaign.
His return is particularly significant for Queiroz, who has made it clear that club form, competitive action and match fitness are important considerations in his selection process. The Portuguese coach stressed that players must be physically prepared and actively compete for their club before being considered for the national team, barring exceptional circumstances.
Four more players return
Kudus isn’t the only player returning to the Black Stars.
Lorient defender Nathaniel Adjei has been recalled after almost a year away from the national team. His return follows a strong run of form for the French Ligue 1 club.
Brighton and Hove Albion’s Ibrahim Osman and Sassuolo midfielder Ibrahim Sulemana are also back in the squad.
Spartak Moscow defender Alexander Djiku is another experienced player back on the pitch. His inclusion provides further defensive experience as Ghana prepare for what promises to be a challenging opening match against Ivory Coast.
The combination of returning players and squad members from the recent World Cup gives Queiroz a mix of continuity and new options as he begins another phase with the Black Stars.
Gyamerah and Donkor earn their first summons
Two players will experience the Black Stars environment for the first time.
SV Elversberg’s Jan Gyamerah and New York Red Bulls’ Ronald Donkor have both earned their first senior call-ups after impressive performances at club level.
Gyamerah, a right-back, has already made four appearances for Elversberg in the 2026/27 German Bundesliga 2 season. His previous clubs include Kaiserslautern, Nürnberg, Hamburger SV and VfL Bochum.
Donkor, meanwhile, impressed with the New York Red Bulls after starting his football development at the JMG Football Academy in Mali. He also played for Guidars FC before moving to the United States, where he joined the Red Bulls in May 2023.
The Ghana Football Federation said the two players were rewarded for their performances with their respective clubs and are expected to join the team ahead of their three assignments.
Asare keeps his place among the goalkeepers
In goal, Accra Hearts of Oak’s Benjamin Asare retains his place alongside St. Gallen’s Lawrence Ati-Zigi and St. Patrick’s Athletic’s Joseph Anang.
Asare was part of Ghana’s squad for the 2026 World Cup and retained his position under Queiroz.
The goalkeeping department therefore combines the experience of Ati-Zigi and Anang with Asare, who continues to receive the trust of the technical team.
The experienced defense gets a new addition
The defense consists of Gideon Mensah of FC Köln, Baba Rahman of PAOK, Jan Gyamerah of SV Elversberg, Derrick Luckassen of Red Star Belgrade, Nathaniel Adjei of Lorient, Jerome Opoku of Istanbul Basaksehir, Kojo Oppong Peprah of Fenerbahce and Alexander Djiku of Spartak Moscow.
The return of Djiku and Adjei gives Ghana additional experience and depth, while the addition of Gyamerah gives Queiroz another option at right-back.
Ghana will need defensive stability from their opening match, particularly against Ivory Coast, who have entered a new phase under returning coach Hervé Renard.
Renard has named 25 players for the Elephants’ opening qualifiers against Ghana and Somalia, with eight new faces included in his first squad since returning to charge.
The midfield offers a mix of youth and experience
The midfield options consist of Swehly Club’s Kwasi Sibo, Coventry City’s Caleb Yirenkyi, Saint-Étienne’s Augustine Boakye, New York Red Bulls’ Ronald Donkor and Sassuolo’s Ibrahim Sulemana.
Sulemana’s return adds another familiar option in midfield, while Donkor’s addition represents one of the opportunities Queiroz has created for players who have impressed at club level.
The manager’s emphasis on competitive fitness could also make midfield selection an interesting area to monitor as the team prepares for its two official matches.
Ayew leads the attacking options
Ghana’s attacking unit features a mix of established internationals and younger players.
Christopher Bonsu Baah of Al Qadishia, Ernest Nuamah of Lyon, Mohammed Kudus of Tottenham Hotspur, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku of Ipswich Town, Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City, Ibrahim Osman of Brighton and Hove Albion, Prince Adu Kwabena of Viktoria Plzen and veteran striker Jordan Ayew of Sheffield United make up the attack line.
Ayew brings considerable international experience to the group, while Kudus’ return gives Ghana another proven attacking option.
The presence of Nuamah, Fatawu Issahaku, Semenyo and Osman also gives Queiroz several options as he looks to establish the team’s attacking structure.
Ghana faces Ivory Coast in Bouaké
The Black Stars will open their Group C campaign away to Ivory Coast on Thursday 24 September.
The match is scheduled to take place at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, with kick-off set for 19:00 GMT, according to the official calendar of the Confederation of African Football.
It will be a West African heavyweight clash between two former African champions, with both teams starting their qualifying campaign under the guidance of coaches who will oversee significant changes in their respective squads.
Ghana is in Group C along with Ivory Coast, Gambia and Somalia. Two teams from each qualifying group will advance to the 2027 AFCON Finals.
Gambia visits Accra
After the trip to Ivory Coast, Ghana will return home to face Gambia on Tuesday 29 September.
The match will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium, with kick-off scheduled by CAF at 16:00 GMT.
The match offers the Black Stars the opportunity to secure points at home after their first away match and will be followed by Gambia’s return to the qualifying program against Ghana following their first Group C match against Somalia.
The friendly against Morocco completes the occupied window
Ghana’s third mission will be the friendly against Morocco on Sunday 4 October.
The Black Stars will travel to Morocco for the match, which will give Queiroz another opportunity to evaluate his players outside of the competitive pressure of AFCON qualifying.
Morocco itself will use the international window to start working under the guidance of new coach Mohamed Ouahbi. The Atlas Lions have named a 29-man squad for their AFCON qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho, ahead of a friendly against Ghana.
The Ghana-Morocco match therefore offers both teams the opportunity to test their squads against high-level opponents.
Full Ghana squad
Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen), Joseph Anang (St. Patrick’s Athletic).
Defenders: Gideon Mensah (FC Köln), Baba Rahman (PAOK), Jan Gyamerah (SV Elversberg), Derrick Luckassen (Red Star Belgrade), Nathaniel Adjei (Lorient), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Kojo Oppong Peprah (Fenerbahce), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow).
Midfielders: Kwasi Sibo (Swehly Club), Caleb Yirenkyi (Coventry City), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Étienne), Ronald Donkor (New York Red Bulls), Ibrahim Sulemana (Sassuolo).
Forwards: Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadishia), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham Hotspur), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Ipswich Town), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Ibrahim Osman (Brighton and Hove Albion), Prince Adu Kwabena (Viktoria Plzen), Jordan Ayew (Sheffield United).
With the qualifying campaign now underway, Ghana’s immediate focus will be on securing a positive start against Ivory Coast before turning their attention to Gambia and then a friendly against Morocco.
For Queiroz, the three matches offer both competitive goals and an opportunity to establish the nucleus of a Black Stars team capable of taking the long road to the 2027 continental championship.
