Antoine Semenyo has declared that Ghana’s national team is fully prepared to battle with the world’s elite nations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the Black Stars’ successful qualification for the tournament in North America.
The Bournemouth attacker believes the squad has regained belief and focus after the painful disappointment of missing out on qualification for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. According to Semenyo, the team has responded positively by booking a place at football’s biggest stage and is determined to prove its quality.
Drawn in Group L, Ghana will face tough opposition in Panama, England and Croatia as they seek to make a strong impression in their fifth World Cup appearance.
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Speaking in an interview with FIFA, the 26-year-old insisted the Black Stars are not travelling merely to participate, but to compete seriously against every opponent they encounter:
“We were so frustrated that we didn’t qualify. It was very, very tough. But I feel like we’ve rectified that in terms of qualifying for the World Cup.”
Semenyo highlighted the growing unity and confidence within the squad, stressing that the players are eager to showcase their abilities on the global stage:
“But, we’re not just coming to the World Cup; we want to compete on all levels. I feel like everyone in the team is ready to go.”
The forward also expressed confidence that Ghana possesses enough quality to stand toe-to-toe with the heavyweight nations in their group if the team approaches matches with belief and freedom.
“For us, we can compete with these teams. It’s just [about] winning games, having fun and showing the nation what we can do,” he added.
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Ghana will begin their World Cup journey against Panama at BMO Field in Toronto on June 17 before taking on England at the Boston Stadium six days later. The Black Stars will wrap up their group-stage fixtures against Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on June 27.
After suffering early exits at both the 2014 tournament in Brazil and the 2022 edition in Qatar, Ghana will be hoping to advance beyond the group phase and restore their reputation on the world stage.
