Sports News of 2026-09-23
From Kudus to Jordan Ayew: Black Stars players who have withdrawn from AFCON squad
Carlos Queiroz’s first competitive assignment since returning as Black Stars head coach has been disrupted by a growing list of player withdrawals and fitness concerns ahead of Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Black Stars will face Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24 before hosting The Gambia in Accra on September 29, 2026.
Here are the key players who have withdrawn or become unavailable:
Mohammed Kudus
Kudus opted out of the squad to continue his recovery and regain full fitness with Tottenham Hotspur after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off. Queiroz said further assessment showed that protecting the midfielder’s recovery was the best decision.
Nathaniel Adjei
The Lorient defender has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury, denying Queiroz the services of a player who had returned to the national team after almost a year away.
Prince Kwabena Adu
The Viktoria Plzen forward is unavailable after suffering a head injury while playing for his club.
Antoine Semenyo
The Manchester City forward has also withdrawn from the squad amid an injury concern, further reducing Queiroz’s attacking options.
Baba Rahman
The experienced left-back is another absentee as Ghana deals with mounting fitness concerns ahead of the opening qualifier.
Alidu Seidu
Seidu has also withdrawn from the squad amid fitness concerns, adding another defensive headache for Queiroz.
Jordan Ayew
The Black Stars captain is the latest major name to join the list. Ayew arrived in camp but reportedly experienced discomfort before medical checks confirmed an injury that is expected to keep him out of the two qualifiers.
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