Omanghana
Ghana Football Association Communications Director Henry Asante Twum has urged the Black Stars to make a strong start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
He said the senior national team must learn from its previous difficulties by securing maximum points early, rather than allowing pressure to build during the latter stages of the qualifiers.
Ghana are seeking to return to the continental competition after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco. That disappointment has increased the importance of avoiding another slow or inconsistent qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia. Ghana Football Association
They will begin their campaign with a difficult trip to face Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on September 24, 2026.
Ghana will then return home to host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 27.
Asante Twum stressed that positive results in those opening matches would give the team confidence and reduce the pressure associated with having to recover points later in the campaign.
The GFA official said previous qualifying experiences had demonstrated the dangers of starting slowly, particularly when teams are competing in a tight group with limited room for error.
Head coach Carlos Queiroz has reportedly submitted his provisional squad for the two fixtures. The list is expected to pass through the required internal review process involving the Black Stars Management Committee and the GFA Executive Council before its official release.
Queiroz recently returned to the role after leading Ghana to the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The GFA cited his international experience and familiarity with the squad as important factors in retaining him for the next phase.
The opening match against Côte d’Ivoire will provide an immediate test for the Portuguese coach and his players. The Black Stars will then be expected to capitalise on home advantage against The Gambia three days later.
The 2027 AFCON finals will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Ghana, four-time champions of Africa, will be hoping to qualify convincingly and rebuild confidence following their failure to reach the previous tournament.
Source: Omanghana
