Asamoah Gyan has stated that his main expectation for the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is for the team to progress beyond the group stage, rather than focusing on specific opponents.
Ghana, four-time African champions, have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia as they prepare for their fifth appearance at the Mundial.
Speaking in New York during the unveiling of Ghana’s World Cup jersey by PUMA, the country’s all-time top scorer emphasized the importance of qualification to the next round.
Gyan acknowledged the strength of England, describing them as one of the best sides in the world, but stressed that his primary concern is Ghana advancing from the group.
“We are playing against England, we are in the same group. You know, on paper, England, of course, is one of the best in the world right now,” Gyan, who remains the country’s all-time leading goalscorer, said.
He noted that while the match against England will attract attention and excitement, the ultimate objective remains progressing to the knockout stage of the competition.
“You know, but people are optimistic about that game. To play against England. I’m not thinking about playing England; I just want Ghana to qualify from the group stage to go to the next stage of the competition, so we’ll see what happens. But Ghana against England is going to be a very, very good game,” he added.
Ghana will begin their campaign against Panama on June 17, before taking on England on June 23 and concluding the group stage against Croatia on June 27.
In preparation for the tournament, the Black Stars will play two international friendlies—against Austria in Vienna on March 27 and Germany in Stuttgart on March 30—as part of their build-up to the World Cup co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
