Ghana’s head coach, Otto Addo, has shed light on the decision to exclude captain Andre Ayew from the Black Stars squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
Despite Ayew’s solid performance with La Havre in the French Ligue 1, where he had a commendable season, the 34-year-old has been omitted from Addo’s 26-man squad for the crucial matches scheduled for next month.
Addressing Ayew’s absence, Addo stated, “The door is always open for Andre Ayew because we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Never say never.”
Ghana will commence their training camp on Thursday at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon. The Black Stars are set to face Mali on June 6 at Stade 26 Mars in Bamako before hosting Central Africa Republic at the Baba Yara Stadium on June 10.
With a less than ideal start to the qualifiers last year, Ghana aims to secure maximum points in both matches. The team kicked off with a win against Madagascar (1-0) before facing a narrow defeat to Comoros. Currently placed 4th in Group I, Ghana is gearing up for the third and fourth games.
Ayew, who joined Le Havre in November 2023, played a pivotal role in helping the team avoid relegation at the end of the campaign.
The veteran forward scored five goals in 19 Ligue 1 games, emerging as the top Ghanaian scorer in the top-flight league for the season. Across all competitions, Ayew netted six goals in 20 games for Le Havre.
