2026 World Cup: Antoine Semenyo Headlines Ghana’s 26-Man Squad Released by Carlos Queiroz
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- Antoine Semenyo headlines Ghana’s 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup after head coach Carlos Queiroz unveiled his selection on June 1
- The squad announcement confirms several notable absentees, including Mohammed Kudus, Mohammed Salisu and Alexander Djiku
- Their exclusion comes as a significant blow, given the influential roles they played during Ghana’s successful qualification campaign
PAY ATTENTION: Follow YEN's WhatsApp channel for a daily dose of breaking news on the go!
Ghana's final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been unveiled, bringing weeks of speculation to an end ahead of the tournament in the United States, 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.
Source: Getty Images
Semenyo headlines Ghana's 26-man WC squad
One of the biggest names on the roster is Antoine Semenyo, who arrives at the Mundial on the back of a sensational debut season with Manchester City.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
The versatile forward enjoyed a remarkable campaign, helping the Premier League giants lift both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey also makes the cut despite ongoing legal issues in the United Kingdom, while Jordan Ayew has been entrusted with the captain's armband, succeeding his elder brother Andre Ayew, who led the Black Stars at the 2022 World Cup.
The final selection also rewards several players who have worked their way into contention in recent months.
St Etienne attacker Augustine Boakye earns a place after forcing his way into the reckoning, while defender Marvin Senaya, who committed his international future to Ghana ahead of Togo, receives his first opportunity to feature at football's biggest stage.
According to Ghanafa.org, the notable omissions from the provisional squad are goalkeeper Solomon Agbasi and Ajax youngster Paul Reverson. However, Agbasi has been retained as an additional member of the Black Stars contingent.
Watch Ghana's squad unveil, as shared on X:
Who made Ghana's 26-man squad?
One of the biggest setbacks for Ghana is the absence of Alexander Djiku.
The experienced centre-back played a pivotal role during the qualification campaign but has been ruled out after failing to recover from injury at the last minute.
His withdrawal opens the door for Derrick Luckassen, who only made his Black Stars debut against Germany in March this year.
Queiroz has named nine defenders, including Abdul Mumin, whose inclusion has raised eyebrows after an injury-hit season limited him to just over 70 minutes of competitive football.
The defensive department remains an area of concern for Ghana. Injuries to both Djiku and Mohammed Salisu mean the Black Stars will head into the tournament without their preferred central defensive partnership.
The squad also features three goalkeepers, with Hearts of Oak captain Benjamin Asare standing as the only home-based player included, as cited by Ghanasoccernet.
Five midfielders have been selected, led by Partey, while the attacking department consists of nine players.
Among them is Ernest Nuamah, whose place comes despite a season heavily disrupted by injury, restricting him to just 32 minutes of competitive football.
Below is Ghana's full squad, as shared on X:
Kudus, Andre Ayew and Paintsil dropped
While several players are celebrating World Cup dreams fulfilled, others have been left heartbroken.
Source: Getty Images
Mohammed Kudus has failed to recover from the muscle injury he suffered in January and will not be part of Ghana's campaign.
Mohammed Salisu is also absent after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
There is no fairytale return for Andre Ayew either, with the former skipper overlooked for the tournament despite making a club move earlier this year in a bid to revive his chances.
Joseph Paintsil is another high-profile casualty. The winger misses out on a second successive World Cup, despite producing encouraging performances in Major League Soccer.
Attention now turns to Cardiff, where Ghana will face Wales on June 2 in their final phase of preparations before departing for North America.
Drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama, the Black Stars begin their campaign against Panama before facing two stern European tests.
After disappointing group-stage exits in 2014 and 2022, Ghana will be aiming to write a different story this time around and reach the knockout rounds for the first time since their historic quarter-final run at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Ghanaians to watch WC games for free
In a previous publication, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghanaian fans received a major boost ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with matches set to be shown on free-to-air television.
This means supporters of the Black Stars and football lovers across the country will be able to watch Ghana’s games and other World Cup fixtures live.
Source: YEN.com.gh