The Ghana national team have suffered a major setback ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after forward Mohammed Kudus was officially left out of the squad because of injury.
Ghana are preparing to compete at the World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which will take place between 11 June and 19 July, but the “Black Stars” will travel without one of their leading attacking players.
Head coach Carlos Queiroz announced a preliminary 28-man squad for the tournament, with Kudus absent from the selection.
The omission follows a serious muscle injury suffered by the Tottenham Hotspur FC player in January.
According to the report, Kudus remained sidelined for the rest of the season after suffering a relapse during his recovery process, preventing him from regaining full fitness in time for the tournament.
The 25-year-old managed only 19 appearances in the Premier League during the campaign.
Despite his limited playing time, Kudus still contributed eight goals overall, scoring twice and providing six assists before his season was cut short.
Ghana Forced to Adjust Attacking Plans
Kudus’ absence represents a significant challenge for Queiroz as Ghana prepare for a demanding group-stage campaign.
The Portuguese coach is now expected to reshape his attacking plans around Antoine Simeone of Manchester City FC and Iñaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao.
The pair are expected to carry much of Ghana’s attacking responsibility during the competition following Kudus’ withdrawal.
Ghana were drawn in Group 12 alongside England national football team, Croatia national football team and Panama national football team.
The Black Stars will begin their campaign against Panama on 17 June before facing England on 23 June in one of the most anticipated matches of the group stage.
Their final first-round fixture will come against Croatia on 27 June.
Expanded Tournament Format Creates New Opportunities
The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition to feature 48 teams, increasing both the size and complexity of the tournament.
Under the new format, the winners and runners-up from each of the 12 groups will automatically qualify for the knockout phase.
They will be joined by the eight best third-placed teams, with the competition’s elimination rounds now beginning from the round of 32.
The expansion has increased hopes among many nations, including Ghana, of progressing beyond the group stage.
However, the loss of Kudus removes one of Ghana’s most creative and dynamic attacking options ahead of the tournament.
Ghana Looking to Recreate Past World Cup Success
Ghana have previously appeared at four World Cups and remain one of Africa’s most recognisable teams on the global stage.
Their greatest achievement came during the 2010 tournament in South Africa, where the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals before suffering a dramatic defeat to Uruguay national football team.
That run remains the deepest World Cup campaign ever achieved by the country and one of the most memorable performances by an African nation in the competition’s history.
With Queiroz now preparing to lead Ghana into another World Cup challenge, attention will turn to whether the team can overcome the absence of Kudus and compete successfully in a difficult group.
The Black Stars are expected to continue preparations in the coming days as they finalise their squad and tactical plans before travelling to North America for the tournament.
