Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo has cautioned against complacency ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that Panama must not be taken lightly when the Black Stars begin their campaign.
The Ghana national football team will open their Group L fixtures against Panama on June 17 in Toronto before facing Croatia and England in a challenging group widely regarded as one of the toughest at the tournament.
While attention has largely focused on the high-profile clash with England, Semenyo believes Ghana’s opening match could be just as important in shaping their qualification hopes.
“It’s a tough group because you can’t underestimate Panama,” he said. “You think it’s easy, but it’s not that easy. It will be a tough game; they won’t be a pushover.”
Semenyo is expected to play a key attacking role for Ghana as they target a place in the knockout stage, but he stressed that consistency across all three matches will be crucial.
“Croatia and England are obviously top teams. Trying to get out of the group is what we want essentially, but it’s not going to be easy at all,” he added.
The forward, now at Manchester City, chose to represent Ghana despite being eligible for England and is preparing for his second World Cup appearance after featuring in Qatar 2022.
“It’s going to be tough, but yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
With Ghana heading into the tournament with a transitional squad and several key absentees, Semenyo acknowledged the challenges ahead but remains focused on helping the Black Stars progress beyond the group stage for the first time in years.
