Ghana drawn in Group I with Mali, Comoros, others for 2026 World Cup qualifiers

In the draw held in Ivory Coast on Thursday, July 13, 2023, the Black Stars of Ghana were placed in Group I for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Ghana will compete against Madagascar, Comoros, Central African Republic, Chad, and Mali in their quest to secure a spot in the FIFA World Cup.

The upcoming World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and the Black Stars have the responsibility of qualifying Ghana for the prestigious tournament.

The qualification format established by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) consists of nine groups, each containing six teams. The top team from each group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Additionally, the four best second-placed teams across the groups will participate in playoffs. The winner of this playoff will then face a team from the CONCACAF zone for a chance to secure the tenth and final spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The qualifiers are scheduled to take place over a two-year period, from November 2023 to November 2025. The Black Stars will have their first and second matchdays in November 2023, followed by the third and fourth matchdays in June 2024. The remaining matchdays, from the fifth to the tenth, will be played throughout 2025.

Having successfully qualified for four out of the last five World Cups, the Black Stars will strive to make their fifth appearance in the tournament.