Osman Addo earns first senior Somalia call-up for 2027 AFCON qualifiers

Helsingborgs IF forward Osman Addo has earned his first senior international call-up after being named in Somalia’s official squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The 22-year-old Danish-born winger, who recently joined the Swedish Superettan side on loan from Viborg FF, committed to the Ocean Stars following a year-long pursuit by the Somali Football Federation.

Addo’s inclusion forms part of head coach Yusuf Ali Nur’s strategic push to bolster the national team with dual-nationality talent playing across European leagues.

The technical, versatile forward brings valuable Scandinavian league experience to Somalia’s frontline as they navigate a highly challenging Group C qualifying pool.

Addo is expected to feature prominently in the historic double-header scheduled for late September, which starts with a demanding away fixture against The Gambia on September 25.

The Ocean Stars will then shift focus to a daunting “home” fixture against reigning African champions Ivory Coast on September 29, played at a neutral venue.

This international window marks the beginning of Somalia’s ambitious roadmap toward securement of a maiden AFCON tournament appearance.

Addo’s switch of international allegiance concludes months of speculation regarding his competitive future, given his eligibility to represent Denmark by birth.

While early media reports loosely categorized him as Danish-Ghanaian based on his birthplace and his typically Ghanaian-sounding surname (“Addo”), his father is actually of Somali descent (carrying the Somali name Abdulkadir).