Ghana boss Queiroz names preliminary squad for 2026 World Cup

Veteran striker Jordan Ayew will skipper a national side competing for the fifth time in the last sixWorld Cups.

The 34-year-old, who will be featuring at theWorld Cupfor the third time, is listed among nineforwards including Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo and Athletic Club's Inaki Williams.

Baba Abdul Rahman, who turns out for the Greek outfit PAOK, returns to Ghana's national team after nearly three years.

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has also been picked. Partey has pleaded not guiltyto seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault following allegations from four different women between 2020 and 2022. The 32-year-old, who plays for La Liga side Villarreal, is due to stand trial next year.

Partey made 167 appearances for Arsenal between 2020 and 2025 and left the north London outfit after his contract expired.

'Mission man' Queiroz takes over as Ghana head coach

Ghana players before their 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium on 12 October 2025.

Queiroz,who took overlast month from Otto Addo, will be guiding a third national squad at the World Cup.

He was with Portugal in 2010 in South Africa and led Iran through competitions in2014, 2018 and 2022.

Ghana reached the2026 World Cupin the United States, Mexico and Canada after topping an African qualifying group that included Comoros, Madagascar, Mali, Central African Republic and Chad.

They will be based in Providence, Rhode Island. They start theirGroup Lcampaign against Panama on 17 June in Toronto.

On 23 June in Boston, Ghana take on England and they conclude the groups stages in Philadelphia against Croatia on 27 June.

English opponents

England boss Thomas Tuchel announced his squad for the tournament last Friday.

Harry Kane will captain the team on the back of a season in which he scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich as they won Germany's top-flight championship for a record-extending 35th time. Kane scored a hat trick in the final of the DFB Pokal to furnish Bayern with their 14th league and cup double.

The 32-year-old will joined in the forward line by 2026 Premier League-winning Arsenal strikers Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka.

And then there were 48 ... how the World Cup has expanded since 1930

Tuchel, who has led teams to trophies in his native Germany as well as France and England, told the English Football Association'swebsite: "It is truly exciting and a great privilege to be able to name an England squad for the World Cup.

"It has been a tough process to decide on the nomination, but I have full belief in this group of players. They all deserve their place. The squad and everyone involved with the team will give all we can to make the country proud."

Originally published on RFI

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