Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been dealt a significant blow, with experienced defender Alexander Djiku facing an uphill battle to make the final squad due to injury.
Concrete reports indicate that the centre-back is increasingly unlikely to feature at the tournament after arriving at the Black Stars camp in Cardiff carrying an injury sustained during Spartak Moscow’s Russian Cup final victory over FC Krasnodar. Djiku was forced off during the match before his side eventually lifted the trophy following a penalty shootout triumph.
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Although the defender was named in Carlos Queiroz’s provisional 28-man squad, his condition has raised concerns among the technical team. Since reporting to camp, Djiku has been restricted in his activities and has not participated fully in training sessions with the rest of the squad.
With FIFA regulations requiring participating nations to submit a final 26-man squad, Queiroz is expected to make difficult decisions in the coming days. While no official announcement has been made, Djiku’s fitness issues have placed his place in serious doubt ahead of football’s biggest showpiece.
The uncertainty has also sparked questions about who could be drafted in should the defender ultimately fail to recover in time.
Since making his international debut in October 2020, Djiku has established himself as one of Ghana’s most dependable defenders. The 28-year-old has accumulated 38 appearances for the Black Stars, contributing four goals and playing a prominent role at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana are scheduled to continue their World Cup build-up with friendly encounters against Wales on June 2 at Cardiff City Stadium before taking on Jamaica on June 10.
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At the tournament itself, the Black Stars face a stern challenge in Group L, where they have been paired with England, Croatia and Panama. Their campaign begins against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field before high-profile clashes against England on June 23 at Gillette Stadium and Croatia on June 27.
As Ghana prepares for another World Cup adventure, the team will be hoping to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since their historic run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
