The Black Stars of Ghana will begin the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November this year as they seek to secure their fifth qualification.
The draw for the next mundial will take place on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 in Benin, and Ghana will know who their group opponents will be.
The Black Stars is set to face a tougher path in their quest to qualify for the mundial which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
This comes as a result of the qualification format set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for African teams.
The new qualifying format will involve the formation of nine groups, with each group comprising six teams.
The primary objective of this change is to intensify competition among African nations and increase their opportunities to secure a place in the global showcase.
The teams that finishes top of each group will earn direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This alteration aims to provide a clear and straightforward pathway for the most dominant sides in each group to secure their position on the world stage.
However, the battle for World Cup berths will not be confined solely to the group winners. In an exciting twist to the qualification process, the committee announced that the four best second-place teams from the groups will have a chance to compete for a coveted playoff spot.
This playoff will determine the representative from Africa who will then face off against a team from the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) region. The outcome of this intercontinental playoff will determine which team ultimately secures a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The changes in the qualification format present a greater challenge for Ghana's national team, the Black Stars, as they now face a longer and more demanding campaign with the aim of securing their spot in the prestigious tournament.