Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku has confirmed that Ghana’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will officially be announced on June 1.
The Ghana Football Association president revealed the date shortly after the Black Stars’ 2-0 defeat to Mexico in an international friendly played on Saturday morning.
Despite the result, Okraku insisted the match served an important purpose for the national team’s preparations ahead of the World Cup in North America.
According to him, the fixture provided valuable exposure for several young players, including members of Ghana’s U-23 side and fringe players hoping to break into the senior national team setup.
“Objective accomplished! This event has provided significant stage exposure for the majority of our U-23 players and other players who had limited playing time,” he wrote on social media.
The Black Stars fielded a youthful and largely experimental squad against Mexico as the technical team used the opportunity to assess players ahead of the final World Cup selection.
Okraku explained that the game also allowed the coaching staff to closely evaluate players they had mostly monitored through scouting reports.
“Furthermore, it offers a substantial opportunity for us to evaluate players with whom we may be less acquainted,” he stated.
The GFA president acknowledged that assembling a relatively inexperienced squad within a short period presented challenges but stressed that there were still positives to take from the performance.
He also praised the young talents involved in the match and called for patience and long-term support for the emerging generation of players.
Ghana will continue their preparations with another friendly against Wales before attention shifts fully to the World Cup.
The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia for the tournament.