Carlos Queiroz’s return to competitive action with the Black Stars has been hit by a series of withdrawals and injury concerns, leaving Ghana without several key players for the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Ghana are scheduled to face Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24 before hosting The Gambia in Accra on September 29, but Queiroz will have to prepare for both matches without a number of important members of his squad.
Here are the players who have withdrawn or become unavailable:
Mohammed Kudus
Kudus opted out of the squad as he continues his recovery and works towards regaining full fitness with Tottenham Hotspur.
The midfielder had only recently returned from a lengthy injury lay-off, and further assessment led to the decision to allow him more time to recover. Queiroz said protecting Kudus’ recovery was considered the best course of action.
Nathaniel Adjei
Lorient defender Nathaniel Adjei has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury.
His absence is a setback for Queiroz, particularly after Adjei returned to the national team following almost a year away.
Prince Kwabena Adu
Viktoria Plzen forward Prince Kwabena Adu is also unavailable after sustaining a head injury while playing for his club.
His withdrawal leaves Ghana with fewer attacking options ahead of the two qualifiers.
Antoine Semenyo
Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo has also withdrawn from the squad amid an injury concern.
His absence further reduces Queiroz’s attacking options as Ghana prepare for a difficult opening fixture against Côte d’Ivoire.
Baba Rahman
Experienced left-back Baba Rahman is another player missing from the squad as Ghana continues to deal with a growing list of fitness concerns.
His experience could have been valuable to Queiroz as he begins his first competitive assignment since returning to the Black Stars.
Alidu Seidu
Alidu Seidu has also withdrawn amid fitness concerns.
The defender’s absence leaves Queiroz with another decision to make as he looks to reshape his defensive options before the qualifiers.
Jordan Ayew
Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew is the latest major name to join the list of absentees.
Ayew arrived in camp but reportedly experienced discomfort, prompting medical checks that confirmed an injury expected to rule him out of both qualifiers.
His absence is particularly significant given his role as captain and his experience at international level.
With several key players now unavailable, Queiroz faces a challenging start to his competitive return as Ghana prepare for back-to-back 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
