Black Stars leave Accra on Wednesday for crucial Côte d’Ivoire AFCON qualifier

Ghana’s Black Stars will leave Accra on Wednesday morning for Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, ahead of their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group C qualifier against the Elephants.

The crucial fixture is scheduled to be played on Thursday, September 24, 2026, with Ghana looking to secure a positive result away from home as the race for qualification gets underway.

The Black Stars have been in camp in Accra since Monday as head coach Carlos Queiroz intensifies preparations for the encounter.

Eighteen players took part in Tuesday’s training session at the Accra Sports Stadium, with the technical team using the session to fine-tune the squad ahead of the trip.

Following their arrival in Bouaké, the Black Stars are expected to hold their final training session on Wednesday before facing Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday.

Ghana has been drawn in Group C of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers alongside Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, and Somalia.

The Black Stars will be hoping to start their qualifying campaign strongly, particularly against one of the group’s key opponents, as they seek to secure a place at the 2027 tournament.

Ghana's preparations have, however, been affected by a growing list of injury concerns and reported withdrawals.

Queiroz has already been forced to make several changes to his squad after medical assessments raised concerns over some of the players initially selected for the qualifiers.

The changes have presented the technical team with an additional challenge ahead of the back-to-back Group C fixtures against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.

With the opening qualifier just days away, the Black Stars will be hoping to overcome the disruptions and return from Bouaké with a result that strengthens their position in the group.