John Paintsil hints at surprise inclusions in Black Stars’ 2026 World Cup squad

Assistant coach of the Black Stars, John Paintsil, has hinted that Ghana’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature several unexpected selections.

Ghana’s senior national team is set to compete at the tournament to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer. With the official squad announcement scheduled for June 1, Paintsil confirmed that the technical team is casting a wide net, closely monitoring both home-based and foreign-based players.

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Speaking to Asempa FM, the former Black Stars defender stressed that selection will be based purely on merit.“We are considering both local and international players for the World Cup squad. Every Ghanaian who qualifies to play is welcome, but there will be a lot of surprises,” Paintsil revealed.

As part of preparations for the global showpiece, the Black Stars are expected to regroup in March for a series of international friendlies against Austria and Germany, fixtures aimed at fine-tuning the squad ahead of the tournament.

Ghana has been drawn into a challenging Group L, where they will face Panama, England, and Croatia. The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, before taking on England in Boston and wrapping up the group stage against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.

After early exits at the group stage in Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, expectations are high for a stronger performance in 2026.

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Head coach Otto Addo will be aiming to assemble a balanced and competitive squad capable of delivering improved results at the Mundial. The objective is not only to go beyond the group stage but also to build on the foundations laid during Ghana’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar, as the Black Stars look to reassert themselves on football’s biggest stage.