2026 World Cup qualifiers: Group I standings after Chad hold Ghana in N’Djamena

The Black Stars of Ghana suffered a setback in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday after being held to a 1-1 draw by Chad in N’Djamena.

Heading into the Round 7 clash at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno, Ghana aimed to secure a sixth victory of the qualifiers against a side that had lost all six of its previous games.

The Black Stars started brightly and broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when Mohammed Kudus set up captain Jordan Ayew, who slotted home from close range. With the early lead, many expected Ghana to cruise to a comfortable win.

However, wastefulness in front of goal proved costly. Despite dominating much of the contest, Ghana failed to put the game to bed, and Chad capitalised late on. In the 89th minute, Celestine Ecua struck to stun the visitors, earning Chad their first point of the qualifiers.

Ghana remains top of Group I with 16 points, followed by Comoros and Madagascar in second and third on 12 and 10 points respectively.

Check out the full Group I standings below.