AFCON 2027: Ghana head to Côte d’Ivoire with depleted squad after mass withdrawals

Ghana head into their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire with a depleted squad after a string of injury-related withdrawals hit Carlos Queiroz’s team.

The Black Stars have lost several key players ahead of Thursday’s Group C opener in Bouaké, with captain Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo among the notable absentees.

Defenders Alidu Seidu and Abdul Rahman Baba have also been ruled out, further limiting Queiroz’s options as Ghana prepare for a difficult opening assignment away from home.

Kudus, Semenyo among key absentees

Kudus withdrew from the squad to continue his recovery and work on his fitness after recently returning from a seven-month injury lay-off.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward had only just resumed competitive football and was initially named in Queiroz’s 24-man squad for the international window.

Semenyo will also miss the trip after suffering a swollen ankle. The Manchester City forward had made an impressive start to the season, scoring twice in his club’s Premier League win over Sunderland, before withdrawing from the Black Stars squad.

Ayew, meanwhile, reported an injury concern after arriving in camp and was subsequently ruled out of the two-match international window.

The captain’s absence leaves Ghana without one of their most experienced players for the opening qualifier, while the loss of Kudus and Semenyo further reduces the attacking options available to Queiroz.

Defensive problems add to Queiroz’s concerns

Ghana’s defensive options have also taken a significant hit.

Seidu, who had recently joined OGC Nice on loan from Rennes, was brought into the squad but has since been ruled out because of injury.

Baba Rahman also reported to camp before a medical assessment confirmed that he would not be available for the upcoming matches.

The latest withdrawals add to the changes Queiroz had already been forced to make to his original squad after medical concerns affected several players.

The Portuguese coach responded by calling up Benjamin Tetteh, Felix Afena-Gyan, Mohammed Fuseini, Rahim Ibrahim and Jonas Adjetey, among others, as he reshaped his squad for the qualifiers.

Fuseini enters camp after scoring his first goal for Derby County at the weekend.

The forward came off the bench to rescue a 1-1 draw against Burnley, giving Queiroz another attacking option ahead of Ghana’s opening fixture.

Black Stars travel to Bouaké

Ghana opened camp in Accra on Monday, with 18 players taking part in Tuesday’s training session at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The team left Ghana on Wednesday morning for Bouaké, where they are expected to hold their final training session before facing the Elephants.

The Black Stars will play Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix on Thursday, September 24, in their opening Group C qualifier for the 2027 AFCON.

With several established players unavailable, Queiroz will have to rely on the depth of his reshaped squad as Ghana begin their campaign with an away fixture against their West African neighbours.