Black Stars Technical Advisor and Ghana Football Association (GFA) Director of Football, Winfried Schäfer, has expressed strong confidence in Ghana’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—provided the team secures victories in their next two qualifying matches.
Following back-to-back wins over Chad and Madagascar in March, the Black Stars have boosted their position in Group I and are now firmly in contention for a place at the global tournament, with just four matches remaining in the qualifiers.
Ghana are set to face Chad away before returning home to host Mali in Matchdays 7 and 8 of the CAF qualifiers. Victories in both fixtures would significantly strengthen their path to a fifth World Cup appearance.
Speaking after the Black Stars Unity Cup matches in London, Schäfer expressed optimism about the team’s quality and the opportunity ahead.
“We have good players around. We have a player in Auxerre, we have a player in Bilbao, and we have a player at West Ham,” the veteran German coach noted, referring to Ghanaian talents performing in top European leagues.
“If we win two matches, we can go to the World Cup. I don't know about Nigeria,” he added, hinting at Ghana’s strong position compared to some regional rivals.
The Black Stars currently sit at the top of Group I with 15 points and will conclude their qualification campaign in October with crucial fixtures against Comoros and the Central African Republic.
Ghana is aiming to return to the World Cup stage after a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2022 edition in Qatar. With momentum building and key players hitting form, Schäfer’s remarks reflect the belief within the camp that qualification is within reach.
