Ghana FA President Kurt Okraku rallies Black Stars for crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Ghana Football Association (FA) President, Kurt Okraku, has issued a clarion call to the Black Stars players to rise to the occasion and deliver for the nation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic in June.

Welcoming the players back home after their first training session at the University of Ghana Stadium, Legon on Friday, May 31, 2024, President Okraku expressed his gratitude for their positive response to the national call and emphasized the importance of the task ahead.

“I welcome all of you back home. Usually, at this time, you should be on holidays. But when it is a national duty, you have to respond and I am very happy that all of you have responded positively to the national call and to the national cause,” he said.

“We began this World Cup journey some months ago. We’ve played two games and we all know the results. We won one and lost one. Fortunately, the journey didn’t end with that defeat. We have another window to claw back some lost ground,” he added.

Ghana’s campaign in Group I of the World Cup qualifiers started with a mixed bag of results. The Black Stars kicked off with a 1-0 victory over Madagascar in Kumasi but then faced a 1-0 defeat to Comoros in Moroni.

Currently, Ghana is in the 4th position in Group I. The team is set to play against Mali on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Stade 26 Mars in Bamako, starting at 19:00. This will be followed by a match against the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Monday, June 10, 2024.

The Black Stars are hopeful of securing victories in both games to improve their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.