Kwasi Sibo has backed Ghana to compete strongly against Côte d’Ivoire despite the considerable quality available to the hosts ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The Black Stars are set to launch their Group C campaign in Bouaké, where they will face the Elephants at the Stade de la Paix in what promises to be a demanding opening fixture.
Sibo, however, believes Ghana possess enough quality of their own to handle the challenge and says the strength of the Ivorian squad will not put the Black Stars under unnecessary pressure.
“It doesn’t scare me. We know the opponents in front of us. They are a very good nation and have good individual players. We also have quality players who can match them, and we are ready for that match,” Sibo said.
Ghana will be entering the new qualifying campaign under Carlos Queiroz, who returned to the Black Stars following their participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The squad has had to deal with a setback ahead of the trip, with Mohammed Kudus withdrawing from the team after suffering an injury. His absence has prompted the technical team to bring in Mohammed Fuseini as a replacement.
Despite Kudus’ unavailability and the calibre of players at Côte d’Ivoire’s disposal, Sibo remains confident in Ghana’s ability to rise to the occasion.
The Black Stars began their preparations in Accra on Monday, with seven players reporting for the opening training session at the Accra Sports Stadium.
After their away assignment in Bouaké, Ghana will return home to host The Gambia in their second Group C fixture, with Queiroz beginning his latest rebuilding project with two important qualifiers on the schedule.