Ghana's 28-Man Squad for World Cup Preparation

Carlos Queiroz has shown his hand. Ghana’s head coach has called up a 28-man Black Stars squad for a World Cup preparation camp and an eye-catching friendly against Wales in Cardiff, a first real look at the group he believes can carry the nation through Canada, Mexico, and the United States in 2026.

The squad is heavy with options: five goalkeepers, nine defenders, seven midfielders, seven forwards. Depth, not just names. Competition, not comfort.

Camp opened on Monday, May 25, 2026, with the players going straight to work at Dragon Park in Cardiff. The Wales friendly on Tuesday, June 2, is the first test of rhythm, structure, and sharpness before the World Cup countdown truly bites.

Baba Rahman’s Road Back

One of the standout stories is the return of Baba Abdul Rahman. The Greece-based defender, now with PAOK, is back in the national team picture for the first time since September 2023.

He has earned it the hard way.

The former Chelsea left back has put together a consistent season in Greece, making 35 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and adding three assists. Those numbers, combined with his experience at the highest level, have forced his way back into Queiroz’s thoughts at exactly the right moment.

Nuamah and Mumin Rejoin the Fight

On the wings, there is another comeback. Ernest Nuamah of Olympique Lyon returns after close to a year out. A serious anterior cruciate ligament injury kept him on the sidelines for more than 12 months, but he has now returned to full fitness and is back in the Black Stars fold.

His inclusion is not sentimental. Ghana have long lacked reliable, high-end width, and a fully fit Nuamah offers direct running, end product, and versatility across the front line.

At the back, Rayo Vallecano defender Abdul Mumin is also in from the cold after his own lengthy absence with an ACL injury. His return boosts central defensive options in a department where reliability and continuity will be crucial against the physical and technical mix of Panama, England, and Croatia.

Saint-Étienne midfielder Augustine Boakye and Stade Rennes defender Alidu Seidu also re-emerge in the squad, both returning to the international stage at a time when Queiroz is clearly widening his core group before the World Cup.

A Glimpse of the Future: Paul Reverson

There is one fresh, intriguing name.

Ajax Amsterdam youngster Paul Reverson has been handed a call-up, a nod to both his performances with Ajax’s youth side and Queiroz’s long-term thinking. At 20, Reverson is not being thrown straight into the deep end as a guaranteed starter, but brought in for closer assessment, to feel the tempo of senior international football and to be measured against established internationals.

It is the kind of selection that signals planning beyond just the next tournament.

Cardiff First, North America Next

The full squad will assemble in Cardiff on Monday, May 25, 2026, locking in preparations for the Wales friendly and sharpening focus on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana’s path is already mapped out.

Panama await first in Group L, in Toronto. A game that, on paper, Ghana will be expected to attack, to control, to win. Then comes England in Boston, a clash loaded with narrative, scrutiny, and global attention. After that, Croatia in Philadelphia, a meeting with one of tournament football’s most streetwise sides.

By then, Queiroz will hope the decisions he is making now in Cardiff — recalling battle-hardened names like Baba Rahman, restoring Nuamah and Mumin, testing Boakye and Seidu again, and blooding Reverson — will have forged a group ready not just to compete, but to impose itself on the World Cup stage.

The work has started in the rain and grind of Dragon Park. The answers will come under the lights of Toronto, Boston, and Philadelphia.