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• Antoine Semenyo is featured in Ghana’s 26-player team for the 2026 World Cup, as head coach Carlos Queiroz announced his choices on June 1.
• The team release highlights a number of key players who are not included, such as Mohammed Kudus, Mohammed Salisu and Alexander Djiku
• Their removal proves to be a major setback, considering the key parts they had in Ghana’s successful qualification effort.

The official Ghana team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been announced, concluding several weeks of uncertainty before the competition in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Head coach Carlos Queiroz confirmed his 26-man travelling party late on June 1, trimming two names from the provisional list announced for the friendly against Wales.

Semenyo leads Ghana’s 26-player World Cup team

One of the most prominent figures on the list is Antoine Semenyo, who is set to join theMundialfollowing a remarkable first season at Manchester City.

The adaptable striker had an outstanding season, contributing to the Premier League top team’s victories in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is also included despite continuing legal matters in the United Kingdom, while Jordan Ayew has been given the captain’s role, following his older brother Andre Ayew, who captained the Black Stars during the 2022 World Cup.

The ultimate choice also recognizes a number of athletes who have climbed into the running in the past few months.

Striker Augustine Boakye secures a spot by making his case, while defender Marvin Senaya, who pledged his international allegiance to Ghana before the Togo match, gets his first chance to play on football’s grandest stage.

Several key players were left out of the initial team, including goalkeeper Solomon Agbasi and young talent Paul Reverson from Ajax, who just fell short of making the final selection.

Who selected the 26-player team for Ghana?

One of the major challenges for Ghana is the lack of Alexander Djiku.

The seasoned defender was crucial throughout the qualifying phase but has been excluded following a last-minute failure to recover from an injury.

His departure creates an opportunity for Derrick Luckassen, who recently made his Black Stars debut in a match against Germany in March of this year.

Queiroz has selected nine defenders, among them Abdul Mumin, whose selection has sparked surprise following a season affected by injuries that saw him play less than 75 minutes in competitive matches.

The defense sector continues to be a point of worry for Ghana. Injuries to Djiku and Mohammed Salisu leave the Black Stars entering the competition without their favored central defensive duo.

The team also includes three goalkeepers, with Hearts of Oak captain Benjamin Asare being the sole player based in the country selected.

Five midfielders have been chosen, with Partey at the forefront, whereas the forward line includes nine players.

Among them is Ernest Nuamah, who has secured his spot even though his season was significantly affected by injuries, limiting him to only 32 minutes of match action.

Here is Ghana’s complete team, asshared on X:

Kudus, Andre Ayew, and Paintsil were omitted

As some players revel in the realization of their World Cup aspirations, others face disappointment.

Mohammed Kudus has not yet recovered from the muscle injury he sustained in January and will not be participating in Ghana’s campaign.

Mohammed Salisu is also missing out due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Andre Ayew also doesn’t have a fairytale comeback, as the former captain was left out of the tournament even though he moved to a new club this year in an effort to regain his opportunities.

Joseph Paintsil is yet another prominent victim. The winger will not be part of the next World Cup, even though he delivered promising performances in Major League Soccer.

The focus now shifts to Cardiff, where Ghana will play against Wales on June 2 as part of their last preparations before heading to North America.

Group L includes England, Croatia, and Panama, with the Black Stars starting their journey against Panama followed by challenging European matches.

Following underwhelming group-stage eliminations in 2014 and 2022, Ghana is determined to create a new narrative this time, with the goal of advancing to the knockout stages for the first time since their remarkable quarter-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.