The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has reaffirmed its determination to develop a deep, resilient, and competitive Black Stars squad capable of performing strongly even without its star players, as the country prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Communications Director Henry Asante Twum made the remarks in an interview with Asempa FM, stressing the long-term vision of creating internal competition and squad depth.
“We want to build a strong team. We want to get to a point where, without our senior players, we can still perform comfortably,” he stated.
As part of the ongoing preparations, head coach Otto Addo has named a 26-man squad for two high-profile international friendly matches against Austria and Germany. The squad includes four debutants — Derrick Luckassen, Marvin Senaya, Daniel Agyei, and Patrick Pfeiffer — signalling the GFA’s deliberate effort to broaden the talent pool and inject fresh energy into the team.
Explaining the inclusion of the new faces, Asante Twum highlighted the importance of competition for places.
“We have spoken to several players, and we are glad to have them, but they will have to compete for a place. We want to create a competitive environment where every player pushes each other to improve,” he added.
The Black Stars will face Austria in Vienna on Thursday, March 27, before travelling to Germany for a clash against the hosts on Sunday, March 30. These matches are part of an intensive preparation phase aimed at fine-tuning tactics, testing combinations, and building cohesion ahead of World Cup qualifiers and the global tournament itself.
The GFA’s focus on squad depth and internal rivalry comes as Ghana seeks to bounce back strongly on the international stage and make a deep run at the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Fans and analysts will be closely watching how the new additions and the overall squad perform in these upcoming friendlies.
