Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has urged the Black Stars to focus on advancing past the group stage at the 2026 World Cup.
Ghana, four-time African champions, will compete in the summer tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Black Stars have been drawn into Group L alongside Panama, England, and Croatia.
Speaking in an interview, Agyemang-Badu said, “Ghana’s primary target at the World Cup is to advance from the group stage. Anything beyond that would be a bonus for me.”
The former U-20 World Cup winner emphasized the importance of the opening match against Panama, cautioning the team against looking too far ahead to encounters with England or Croatia.
“The Panama match will be challenging, and that’s where our full concentration should be, not on England or Croatia,” he added.
Agyemang-Badu also highlighted the need for a fully fit squad, warning that even minor injuries could compromise Ghana’s chances.
“Ghana cannot afford to just add up numbers, so any player carrying even a minor injury should be dropped. We need a squad of fully fit players.”
Ghana will kick off their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, followed by a clash with England in Boston. The group stage will conclude with a match against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.
Having exited at the group stage in both Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, the Black Stars are determined to make a stronger impact at football’s biggest stage in 2026.
Ahead of the tournament, the team will regroup in March for two international friendlies against Austria and Germany as part of their final preparations.
