Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has urged football fans and the media to avoid speculation over the growing number of players missing from the Black Stars squad ahead of Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Black Stars are set to begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, but several key players will miss the upcoming fixtures because of injuries or personal circumstances.
Among the notable absentees are Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, Baba Rahman, Nathaniel Adjei and Alidu Seidu.
Kurt Okraku Addresses Black Stars Player Withdrawals
Kurt Okraku has maintained that the withdrawals are genuine and are not connected to the Ghana Football Association or head coach Carlos Queiroz.
Speaking to Asempa FM, the GFA president explained that medical assessments played an important role in decisions involving Jordan Ayew and Baba Rahman.
According to Okraku, medical examinations showed that the two players should remain with their respective clubs while they recover, leaving them unavailable for the upcoming Ghana national team fixtures.
“Jordan Ayew has been one of the best players and one of the players we can always count on, but after an MRI scan, the medical team told Ayew and Baba Rahman to focus on their clubs, and we can invite them in the future,” Okraku explained.
Antoine Semenyo Ruled Out Through Injury
Okraku also addressed the absence of Antoine Semenyo, saying the Bournemouth forward was prepared to join the Black Stars squad but was unable to do so because of a swollen leg.
The GFA president stressed that the medical situations involving the players are genuine and should not be overstated or linked to speculation surrounding the national team.
“As a federation, we know the medical history of all the players. We should not overstretch this discussion because the situation at hand is real. These players are injured, and that is the fact,” he said.
Carlos Queiroz Makes Changes to Black Stars Squad
The player withdrawals have forced Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz to make changes to his squad ahead of Ghana’s opening AFCON 2027 qualifying matches.
Brandon Thomas-Asante, Felix Afena-Gyan and Jonas Adjetey have been called up as replacements.
Meanwhile, Rockson Yeboah and Rahim Ibrahim have received their first senior invitations to the Ghana national team.
The changes give several players an opportunity to make their mark as Ghana begins preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.
Ghana AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Schedule
Ghana will open their AFCON 2027 Group C qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24, 2026.
The Black Stars will then return home to face The Gambia on September 29 before travelling to Morocco for an international friendly against the host nation in Tangier on October 4.
The upcoming fixtures will provide Carlos Queiroz with an opportunity to assess his revised squad as Ghana begins its campaign to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Source: newsthemegh.com