Ghana’s Black Stars head coach Otto Addo expressed strong confidence in his team’s preparedness for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic (CAR) on October 8, 2025, at Stade d’Honneur de Meknès, Morocco. Speaking to the press after productive training sessions in Casablanca, Addo highlighted the team’s sharpness: “We have had two and a half good sessions… We are in a comfortable position, but we want to win this game.”
Ghana leads Group I with 19 points, three ahead of Madagascar and four ahead of Comoros, their final opponent on October 12 in Accra. A victory against CAR, who sit bottom with four points, would virtually secure Ghana’s fifth World Cup berth, though Addo cautioned against complacency: “If we win this game, we have a high probability to qualify… But this is just the first step.”
Reflecting on a narrow 2-1 win over Chad, Addo stressed defensive resilience: “We have to fight defensively, especially to the last minute. I have a very good feeling that we can keep a clean sheet and score one or two goals.” Despite injuries to key players like Mohammed Salisu and Inaki Williams, the return of Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Alidu Seidu bolsters the squad, which includes stars like Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus.
Addo dismissed personal milestones, such as becoming the first Ghanaian coach to qualify for two World Cups, focusing instead on team success: “I don’t think too much about myself; it’s about the team.” With the GFA urging inclusion of local players to tap FIFA’s $355 million World Cup fund, Addo faces pressure to deliver, acknowledging, “Pressure is normal.” The neutral venue, due to CAR’s lack of a CAF-approved stadium, adds complexity, but Addo remains focused: “We have to win.”
