Former Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi believes the Black Stars should never be written off ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting Ghana has a history of thriving when expectations are low.
Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz recently named a 28-man provisional squad for the tournament, with sections of supporters questioning the omission of players such as Derrick Arthur Kohn and Joseph Paintsil.
However, speaking in an interview with Citi Sports, Nyantakyi expressed confidence in the squad selected by Queiroz and believes the team can once again defy expectations on football’s biggest stage.
“I have hope we will do well. As I said yesterday to somebody, never write off the Ghana team.
The time that you have little faith in them is when they spring surprises. Let’s rally behind them and I think they can do well.”
Ghana heads into the tournament looking to make a strong impact after securing qualification through the African qualifiers, with Queiroz expected to blend experienced players with emerging talents in the squad.
The Black Stars have built a reputation for delivering memorable performances at the FIFA World Cup, most notably reaching the quarterfinals in 2010 in South Africa ; the furthest any African nation came in that edition of the tournament. Ghana will be hoping to recreate that spirit as preparations continue for the 2026 competition.
