Craig Bellamy hails Ghana’s quality ahead of historic Wales friendly

Wales manager Craig Bellamy has praised Ghana’s ‘really good players’ ahead of a historic international friendly at the Cardiff City Stadium on June 2, 2026.

The fixture marks the first time the senior Welsh men’s national team will host an African nation.

Addressing the media during his 26-man squad announcement, Bellamy acknowledged the calibre of the World Cup-bound Black Stars, noting that the upcoming game presents a ‘reasonably tough’ challenge for his rebuilding side.

He emphasized that the fixture offers an ideal test for Wales as they prepare for the UEFA Nations League League A campaign following their recent World Cup play-off heartbreak.

Bellamy highlighted the tactical unpredictability of the fixture, pointing out that Ghana will arrive with a new manager.

The Black Stars recently appointed veteran Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, who has set up a preparation camp at Dragon Park in Newport with a 28-man squad featuring returning stars Baba Abdul Rahman and Ernest Nuamah.

“Ghana obviously have qualified with some really good players,” Bellamy stated. “They have a new manager and so have Romania… so it will be interesting to see how they go about it, and we have to again be able to adapt. Two difficult oppositions, but two good games to look forward to.”

The Welsh coaching staff is deep into video analysis, studying both Queiroz’s setup and Romania’s new boss, Gheorghe Hagi, ahead of Wales’ second friendly in Bucharest on June 6.

For Ghana, the Cardiff clash serves as critical preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where they will face England, Croatia, and Panama in Group L.