WC Countdown: Can the Black Stars pull off an upset against England or Croatia?

Ghana enter the tournament as one of Africa’s strongest representatives, and given the way they navigated a difficult qualification campaign, expectations among the fans are high. They collected 25 points from 10 matches, recording eight wins, one draw, and just a single defeat.

However, the national team has undergone a significant change. Instead of head coach Otto Addo, who guided Ghana to the 2026 World Cup, the team will now be led in the United States by the experienced Carlos Queiroz.

Ghana WC squad - Antoine Semenyo leads the Black Stars towards a surprise

During the qualifiers, Ghana became known for its outstanding tactical discipline and balance under Addo. His system relied heavily on the pace of the team's wide attackers, allowing Ghana to punish opponents quickly after winning possession. Defensively, the Black Stars became far more compact, implementing a high press that forced rivals into mistakes in dangerous areas of the pitch.

This modernized approach, combining physical strength with strong tactical organization, turned Ghana into one of the most consistent and dangerous teams on the African continent.

After Ghana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, securing a place at the World Cup was viewed as a form of redemption. However, the managerial change has not had the most positive effect on the atmosphere within the national team, creating a sense of uncertainty surrounding Ghana's prospects at this World Cup.

Ideal XI (4-2-3-1): Asare – Seidu, Mumin, Djiku, Mensah – Partey, Owusu – Semenyo, Kudus, Sulemana – Ayew.

Kits: traditional white with artistic elements (home), yellow with golden shades (away).

Statistics: the average age of the team during the qualifiers was 26.7 years.

Star Player: Antoine Semenyo – Ghana’s Manchester City sensation arrives at the World Cup in the form of his life, firmly established as one of the most lethal attacking players in the Premier League. His rise has been nothing short of meteoric.

He began the 2025/26 season at Bournemouth, but after a series of impressive performances, he earned a move to Manchester City, where he continued to decide matches at the highest level.

Semenyo is the definition of a modern forward. He can comfortably play as a traditional number nine, but he is at his most dangerous operating from the right wing. Alongside Kudus, he is currently Ghana’s most valuable player and the man England and Croatia will be most wary of during the group stage.

Head Coach: Carlos Queiroz – Although everything seemed set for Joachim Low to take charge, Ghana will instead be led at the World Cup by the legendary 73-year-old Portuguese manager. A two-time world champion with Portugal’s U20 national team, Real Madrid’s first coach during the Galacticos era, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United, Queiroz brings a wealth of experience and unquestionable authority to the Black Stars.

Our Expectations: Ghana arrive at the World Cup as a “dark horse" in their group, despite having completed their qualifying campaign in a highly dominant fashion. Their potential ceiling could be as high as the quarter-finals, but there is also a serious risk of an early exit in the group stage.

In a very tough group featuring England, Croatia, and Panama, Ghana will have a clear obligation to beat Panama. Against England—the “Three Lions”—as well as Croatia, who finished third at the previous World Cup, they will be waiting for the right moment and looking to pull off an upset that could launch them into the knockout stage.

Jordan Ayew in action against Kimmich (©Getty Images)

Three Interesting Facts:

- Coach, Hero and Tragic Figure: Until his dismissal in March 2026, Otto Addo was the only Ghanaian in history to represent his country at the World Cup both as a player (2006) and as a head coach (2022).

- Match Against Real Madrid: In 1962, the Ghana national team played a friendly match in Accra against then European champions Real Madrid, which ended in a 3–3 draw. It remains one of the most famous results in their early history.

- Azonto Dance: Ghana has become globally recognized for its goal celebrations and choreography after scoring. The Azonto dance celebration became a viral hit at previous tournaments, and the players have announced an entirely new routine for this World Cup.

WORLD CUP - GROUP STAGE

First round

Thursday, 11.06.

22.00: (1.50) Mexico (4.00) S.Africa (7.25)

Friday, 12. 06.

05.00: (2.70) S.Korea (3.10) Czech R. (2.75)

22.00: (1.85) Canada (3.70) B&H (4.25)

Saturday, 13.06.

04.00: (2.05) USA (3.35) Paraguay (3.80)

22.00: (12.0) Qatar (5.40) Switzerland (1.28)

Sunday, 14.06.

01.00: (1.62) Brazil (3.80) Morocco (5.80)

04.00: (6.80) Haiti (4.45) Scotland (1.47)

07.00: (4.50) Australia (3.50) Turkey (1.83)

20.00: (1.03) Germany (15.0) Curacao (50.0)

23.00: (2.10) Netherlands (3.45) Japan (3.50)