Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, Dr. Randy Abbey, has confirmed that plans are underway to arrange a series of high-profile international friendlies to keep the national team active and competitive ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana sealed qualification for the global tournament after a hard-fought 1–0 win over Comoros in their final qualifying match at the Accra Sports Stadium. The four-time African champions will make their fifth World Cup appearance, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.
Speaking in an interview with Asempa FM, Dr. Abbey explained that, following Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the technical and management teams are determined to use the FIFA international windows efficiently to maintain the team’s sharpness.
“The first assignment we discussed was our absence from AFCON because it would have been a good test for the team,” he said. “We will, however, take full advantage of the FIFA international windows and play friendly games. In November, we will face Japan and South Korea. In December, there is no official window, but we are exploring options for what we can do during that period and in the months leading up to the World Cup.”
Dr. Abbey also revealed that the management team is working to finalize nationality switches for eligible players interested in representing Ghana at the World Cup.
“We will use the coming months to complete arrangements for players who want to switch nationality. That’s part of our broader plan to strengthen the squad. We want to play more matches before the World Cup,” he added.
The Black Stars will discover their group-stage opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when the official draw is held on December 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
