Ghana name a 26-man Black Stars squad for the Somalia double-header — Kudus, Ayew and Kyereh return
Interim coach Kim Lars Björkegren has named a 26-man Black Stars squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Somalia, the Ghana Football Association announced on Monday. Captain Jordan Ayew returns after a groin injury, Mohammed Kudus is back after missing Ghana's 2026 World Cup campaign through injury, and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh returns for the first time since December 2022. Four home-based players are called up from the Ghana Premier League. Ghana, bottom of their group with no points after defeats to Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia, face Somalia at Sekondi on Thursday 12 November and again on Monday 16 November.
Verified
The 26-man squad in full — Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen), Joseph Anang (St. Patrick's Athletic). Defenders: Gideon Mensah (FC Köln), Isaac Afful (FC Samartex), Alidu Seidu (OGC Nice), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Başakşehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Peprah Oppong (Fenerbahçe), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Musa Hamzata (Asante Kotoko). Midfielders: Caleb Yirenkyi (Coventry City), Etse Dogli (Medeama SC), Thomas Partey (Al Shabab), Rahim Ibrahim (Slovan Bratislava), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (VfL Osnabrück), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Étienne), Ibrahim Sulemana (Sassuolo). Forwards: Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham Hotspur), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Ipswich Town), Emmanuel Annor (Medeama SC), Ibrahim Osman (Brighton & Hove Albion), Prince Adu Kwabena (Viktoria Plzeň), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Felix Afena-Gyan (Iğdır FK), Jordan Ayew (Sheffield United).
Key points
- The full 26: three goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and eight forwards, as announced by the GFA on Monday.
- Ayew, Kudus, Kyereh and Seidu are recalled — Kyereh for the first time since December 2022.
- Afful, Hamzata, Dogli and Annor are called up from the Ghana Premier League.
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- Ghana, bottom of the group with no points, play Somalia on Thursday 12 November at Sekondi and again on Monday 16 November.
What happened
Björkegren, who also coaches the women's national team, is in interim charge of the Black Stars for this double-header. Ghana's qualifying campaign is already in trouble: two matches played, two defeats, no points — which makes six points against Somalia close to essential.
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Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedThe 26-man squad in full — Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen), Joseph Anang (St. Patrick's Athletic). Defenders: Gideon Mensah (FC Köln), Isaac Afful (FC Samartex), Alidu Seidu (OGC Nice), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Başakşehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Peprah Oppong (Fenerbahçe), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Musa Hamzata (Asante Kotoko). Midfielders: Caleb Yirenkyi (Coventry City), Etse Dogli (Medeama SC), Thomas Partey (Al Shabab), Rahim Ibrahim (Slovan Bratislava), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (VfL Osnabrück), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Étienne), Ibrahim Sulemana (Sassuolo). Forwards: Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham Hotspur), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Ipswich Town), Emmanuel Annor (Medeama SC), Ibrahim Osman (Brighton & Hove Albion), Prince Adu Kwabena (Viktoria Plzeň), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Felix Afena-Gyan (Iğdır FK), Jordan Ayew (Sheffield United).Ghana Football Association — Kim Lars Björkegren names 26-man squad for AFCON 2027 double-header against Somalia (9 Nov 2026) · Flashscore — Jordan Ayew, Kudus and Kyereh return as Ghana name squad for Somalia double-header (9 Nov 2026) · Graphic Online — Black Stars name 26-man squad for Somalia clash as Kudus, Ayew return (9 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedCaptain Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Alidu Seidu are recalled. Ayew missed last month's qualifiers against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia with a groin injury; Kudus has not played for Ghana in 2026 after an injury ruled him out of the World Cup; Kyereh returns for the first time in four years, having been out of international football since December 2022 with injury.Ghana Football Association — Kim Lars Björkegren names 26-man squad for AFCON 2027 double-header against Somalia (9 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedFour home-based players are called up on their Ghana Premier League form: FC Samartex left-back Isaac Afful, Asante Kotoko's Musa Hamzata, and Medeama SC pair Etse Dogli and Emmanuel Annor — with Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare also in the squad.Ghana Football Association — Kim Lars Björkegren names 26-man squad for AFCON 2027 double-header against Somalia (9 Nov 2026) · Graphic Online — Black Stars name 26-man squad for Somalia clash as Kudus, Ayew return (9 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedThe Black Stars opened camp in Accra on Sunday 8 November. Ghana play Somalia at the Sekondi Sports Stadium on Thursday 12 November, with the return match on Monday 16 November, both kicking off at 15:00 GMT. Ghana sit bottom of their qualifying group with no points, after defeats to Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.Ghana Football Association — Kim Lars Björkegren names 26-man squad for AFCON 2027 double-header against Somalia (9 Nov 2026) · Graphic Online — Black Stars name 26-man squad for Somalia clash as Kudus, Ayew return (9 Nov 2026)
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- The full 26-man squad, the recalls and the fixtures, from the Ghana Football Association's own announcement.
- That Ghana are bottom of their group with no points after defeats to Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.
What we don't know yet
- The starting eleven for Thursday — the squad is named, the team is not.
- Whether every called-up player reports to camp fit.