The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase begins today, Tuesday, September 8, with three Ghanaians set to represent the country in Europe’s premier club competition.
Antoine Semenyo, Rahim Ibrahim and Kojo Peprah Oppong are included in their respective clubs’ Champions League squads this season.
Semenyo is the most prominent of the trio and will feature for Manchester City, who begin their campaign away to Portuguese giants FC Porto tonight.
The Ghana international returns to the Champions League after making his debut in the competition with City last season. He has also made a strong start to the new Premier League campaign, starting all three matches and providing two assists.
Semenyo was directly involved in City’s 1-0 win over Coventry City at the weekend, setting up Erling Haaland for the only goal of the game.
Rahim Ibrahim, meanwhile, will be looking to make his mark on the European stage with Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava.
The 25-year-old midfielder is part of Slovan’s Champions League squad and has featured in all six of the club’s matches in the competition this season. Slovan will begin their league phase campaign away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, September 9.
The third Ghanaian, Kojo Peprah Oppong, is set to make his Champions League debut with Turkish giants Fenerbahçe. The 22-year-old defender is part of Fenerbahçe’s registered squad and could make his first appearance in the competition when the Turkish side host AS Roma on Thursday, September 10.
Peprah Oppong joined Fenerbahçe from French club Nice during the summer and will compete for a place in a defence that includes former Manchester City defender Nathan Aké and Slovakia international Milan Škriniar.
Ghana’s representation this season comes without several familiar names. Mohammed Kudus, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Caleb Yirenkyi are not involved in the competition, leaving Semenyo, Ibrahim and Peprah Oppong as Ghana’s three representatives.
The Champions League league phase runs from September 8, 2026, to January 27, 2027, with each team playing eight matches before the knockout stages.
For Ghanaian fans, the focus will be on Semenyo’s continued rise at Manchester City, while Ibrahim and Peprah Oppong look to establish themselves on Europe’s biggest club stage.
