Ghanaians are planning a massive football party on Sunday when they host Comoros in their final Group 1 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The national team, Black Stars, has qualified for the World Cup tournaments since 2006, missing only 2018 when the prestigious event was held in Russia.
They did well in Germany 2006, going past the group stages, improved in South Africa 2010 when they reached the quarter finals, but flopped in Brazil in 2014 due to unfortunate and unpardonable reasons. In 2022, they resurfaced in Qatar, but the story was not as pleasant as the fans wanted because they did not improve upon their performances at the world stage.
For 2026, they are in pole position to qualify, and the Accra Sports Stadium is going to experience a jamboree on Sunday when they face a team that has beaten them in recent tournaments. It is certainly a time for revenge. So it is also going to be a time for payback and an opportunity to outscore, win, and qualify for another FIFA World Cup scheduled for the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Ghana is known to be a football nation; everyone (the over 30 million people) knows something about the game, so the people are referred to as ‘coaches’. Even kids and grannies know something about football. As a nation that won the African Nations Cup four times before other countries woke up to know how to play football and realise the benefits and merits of football, Ghana has boasted of very talented and skilful players.
They have won the African Cup in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982. Although they struggled and failed to make it to the African Nations Cup tournament, the people of Ghana are more interested in the World Cup because they want to win it.
After claiming the Under 17 World Cup on significant occasions in 1991, 1995, runners-up in 1993 and 1997, the nation became the first and only African country to win the World U20 Youth Championship, edging out Brazil.
Interestingly, the University of Development Studies (UDS) recently added the World University Games trophy after beating a team from Brazil.
Now the target is to lay hands on the senior World Cup. Stephen Appiah, the current Vice Chairman of the Black Stars management committee, who led the team to its first qualification, says he is very happy with the present team and their performance since they have not lost in any of the qualifications, rs have been scoring at will.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare also seems to be a difference in the squad as he keeps locking the posts. Skipper Jordan Aye, who said the national team is part of his life, has also scored seven and assisted in seven goals in nine games, making him be rated among the leading poachers in the world in the Qualifiers.
The son of three-time Africa Footballer of the Year, Maestro Abedi Pele Ayew, and his brother Andre Ayew (in 2022) have made history, captaining the Black Stars to the biggest stage in world football. Incidentally, Andre, aka Dede, was the skipper when Ghana conquered the world for the Youth Cup.
There are classic stars in the team like Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Thomas Partey, Kwasi Sibo, Kamaradeen Suleiman, Alidu Seidu, Fatau Issahaku, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Dzik, and Gideon Mensah, who are solid, professional, world-class players.
Though many fans did not trust Coach Otto Addo due to his failure to qualify for the African Cup of Nations, he had excelled at the World Cup Qualifiers, and Sunday will be the icing on the cake.
The Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku also seems to be doing something right with his leadership style, and the team is beaming with confidence and success.
I wish the Black Stars a triumphant victory with an incredible performance, as the spectators flocking to the Accra Sports Stadium are eager to experience the excitement of a truly Ghanaian football celebration. The motivation and enthusiasm are at an all-time high, and nothing can dampen the joy of the occasion.
By Sammy Heywood Okine
