Wales winger Dan James believes Tuesday’s international friendly against Ghana will provide both teams with an opportunity to demonstrate their quality as preparations continue ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match comes as Ghana fine-tune their plans for the tournament after successfully securing qualification, while Wales continue building towards future international competitions despite narrowly missing out on a place at the World Cup.
Wales’ most recent World Cup appearance came at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where they ended a 64-year absence from football’s biggest stage. Led by former captain Gareth Bale, the Dragons qualified after defeating Ukraine national football team in the European play-off final before competing in Qatar.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference ahead of the Ghana encounter, James praised the Black Stars for reaching the World Cup and acknowledged that other nations would be paying attention to teams heading to the tournament.
“They qualified for the World Cup, which is unbelievable. I’m sure all the teams will be watching, but I think for us tomorrow it’s about how can we showcase what we want to do.”
The winger stressed that while Wales are aware of Ghana’s strengths, the focus remains on delivering a strong performance in front of their home supporters.
“I think we obviously know their strengths and what they can do, but for us it’s a home game tomorrow as well. I think we’re just as much up for it as they will be.”
The friendly at Cardiff City Stadium is expected to provide Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz with another opportunity to assess his squad ahead of the World Cup, while Wales will use the match to measure themselves against one of Africa’s leading nations.
With both sides eager to make a statement, the encounter promises to be a competitive test despite its friendly status, as Ghana continue their final preparations for the global showpiece in North America.
