Ghana’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign have been significantly disrupted by a growing list of player withdrawals and injury-related absences ahead of the Black Stars’ opening Group C fixtures against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
The Black Stars are scheduled to travel to Bouaké to face Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, September 24, before returning to Ghana to host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29.
Head coach Carlos Queiroz initially named a 24-man squad for the September international window, but the composition of the team has changed considerably because of injuries, medical concerns and player availability.
As of September 22, the following players have been confirmed as unavailable after initially being included in, or being considered for, the squad:
Mohammed Kudus
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mohammed Kudus was one of the first major names to withdraw from the squad.
Kudus had been included in Queiroz’s original 24-man squad after returning to competitive football following a lengthy injury lay-off. However, after further assessment of his physical condition, the player opted out of the international window to continue his recovery and rebuild his fitness with Tottenham.
Queiroz explained that discussions with the player and further observations convinced the technical team that allowing Kudus more time to recover was the appropriate decision.
The midfielder had only recently returned to Premier League action and had not yet completed a full match following his long absence.
His withdrawal removes one of Ghana’s most important attacking midfield options from the opening qualifiers.
Nathaniel Adjei
Lorient defender Nathaniel Adjei is another confirmed absentee.
Adjei picked up a hamstring injury while playing for Lorient against Le Mans in France. He lasted 75 minutes before being substituted, and subsequent medical assessment ruled him out of Ghana’s upcoming international assignments.
The defender had been handed a recall by Queiroz after spending more than a year away from the Black Stars and was expected to provide another option in central defence.
His injury therefore represents another defensive setback for the Portuguese coach.
Prince Kwabena Adu
Viktoria Plzeň forward Prince Kwabena Adu has also been ruled out after suffering a head injury during his club’s match against Slavia Prague.
Adu was introduced during the game but was later forced off after suffering the injury and had to be stretchered from the pitch.
Following further assessment, he was withdrawn from Ghana’s squad. His absence created a vacancy in the attacking department, leading to the late call-up of Coventry City forward Brandon Thomas-Asante.
Antoine Semenyo
Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo became the latest major withdrawal on Tuesday, September 22.
Semenyo has pulled out of the Black Stars squad because of an ankle problem. Reports indicate that the forward has been dealing with a swollen ankle, prompting concerns about his availability for the international assignments.
His withdrawal comes at an unfortunate time because of his strong start to the Premier League campaign. Semenyo had scored two goals and provided three assists in his first five league appearances for Manchester City, according to reports.
His absence further reduces Ghana’s attacking options ahead of the difficult trip to Bouaké.
Baba Rahman — reported withdrawal, but not officially confirmed
There is also a developing situation involving left-back Baba Rahman.
3Sports reported on Tuesday that Rahman may have withdrawn from the squad, but stressed that the information had not been officially confirmed by the Ghana Football Association.
Rahman was part of the original 24-man squad and was reportedly seen arriving in camp. However, subsequent reports indicate that he may have pulled out.
Because the GFA had not officially confirmed the withdrawal at the time of reporting, Baba Rahman should be treated separately from the confirmed absentees.
Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey is another prominent name missing from the upcoming qualifiers, although his situation is different from the confirmed withdrawals.
The experienced midfielder was not included in the original 24-man squad because of concerns surrounding his hamstring problem. Therefore, he should not technically be classified as a player who withdrew after selection.
Partey’s absence is nevertheless significant because he was one of Ghana’s key midfielders during the 2026 World Cup campaign. Queiroz has acknowledged that injuries and player absences have complicated preparations for the AFCON qualifiers.
Eight players initially unavailable
The scale of the problem became clear when Queiroz revealed that Ghana had already lost several players around the beginning of camp.
The Portuguese coach said that, by the time preparations began, Ghana had faced a substantial number of absences, forcing his technical team to make several changes to the squad.
The Ghana Football Association subsequently announced nine additions to the squad following medical uncertainties involving players. The additions include Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan, Rockson Yeboah, Rahim Ibrahim, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan.
These replacements demonstrate the extent to which the original squad has been altered within a matter of days.
Players added to compensate for the absences
To address the situation, Queiroz and the GFA have brought in a number of players.
In defence, Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan and Rockson Yeboah have been added.
Rahim Ibrahim has strengthened the midfield, while Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan have been brought in to increase the attacking options.
The changes mean that the Black Stars will enter the qualifiers with a considerably different squad from the one initially announced.
Confirmed withdrawals and unavailability
For clarity, the players directly linked to the latest changes are:
- Mohammed Kudus – withdrew to continue his recovery and regain full fitness.
- Nathaniel Adjei – withdrew through a hamstring injury.
- Prince Kwabena Adu – ruled out after suffering a head injury.
- Antoine Semenyo – withdrew because of an ankle injury.
- Baba Rahman – reported to have withdrawn, but the GFA had not officially confirmed this as of September 22.
Thomas Partey should be listed separately because he was not selected in the first place due to injury concerns, rather than withdrawing after being named in the squad.
The situation leaves Queiroz with a rapidly changing squad just two days before Ghana’s opening qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire.
The Black Stars will face the Ivorians in Bouaké on Thursday before returning home for the encounter with The Gambia in Accra. The team will need to quickly integrate the late additions while adjusting to the absence of several players who were expected to play important roles in the opening matches.
With Kudus and Semenyo unavailable, Adjei and Adu ruled out through injuries, and uncertainty surrounding Baba Rahman, Ghana’s squad has undergone major changes even before the first competitive match of the new AFCON qualifying campaign.
Note: The latest information available on September 22 indicates that Baba Rahman’s withdrawal remains unconfirmed by the GFA, so it should not be presented as official unless the association subsequently confirms it.
