Ghanaian coach Desmond Ofei to lead Black Stars against Mexico in Carlos Queiroz absence

Ghana’s national football team will be led by Ghanaian coach Desmond Ofei for their international friendly against Mexico after head coach Carlos Queiroz was ruled out of the match for personal reasons.

The Black Stars had continued preparations in Puebla with their regular technical staff ahead of Friday’s encounter, but the Ghana Football Association later confirmed that Queiroz would not be on the touchline for the game.

The federation stressed that the adjustment is temporary and only affects the upcoming fixture in Mexico.

Ofei, who has already been involved in the team’s training sessions since arriving in the country, will now oversee the squad for the high-profile friendly as Ghana continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Ghanaian tactician is expected to work alongside goalkeeping coach Daniel Gaspar as well as video analyst and set-piece specialist Gregory De Grauwe during the match.

The game against Mexico also provides another opportunity for the Black Stars’ technical team to assess the squad before the final selection of the 26 players who will represent the country at the World Cup.

Ghana are using the friendly schedule to continue evaluating player performances and tactical options ahead of the tournament, with competition for places in the squad still ongoing.

According to the Ghana Football Association, the match forms part of the team’s wider preparations for the global competition, which begins on June 11.

The Black Stars have already been drawn into a challenging group featuring Panama, England and Croatia, making the preparatory matches an important part of the team’s build-up to the tournament.

Despite the temporary absence of Queiroz, Ghana will still hope to maintain momentum and continue fine-tuning the squad before the start of the World Cup campaign.