Ghana's 28-Man Squad for World Cup Preparation

Carlos Queiroz has drawn his World Cup battle lines.

The Black Stars head coach has named a 28-man squad for Ghana’s preparation camp and the high-profile friendly against Wales in Cardiff, a key staging post before the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The group is heavy on options: five goalkeepers, nine defenders, seven midfielders, seven forwards. No hiding places. No passengers.

Camp opens, spotlight on Cardiff

The squad opened camp on Monday, May 25, 2026, getting straight to work at Dragon Park in Cardiff. The friendly against Wales on Tuesday, June 2, will be the first real glimpse of Queiroz’s ideas under tournament pressure, even if the scoreboard will not yet define anything.

For several players, though, this camp already feels like a crossroads.

Baba Rahman’s road back

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

He has earned it the hard way.

After a difficult spell away from the limelight, the former Chelsea left back has pieced together a strong season in Greece: 35 appearances in all competitions, three goals, three assists. Steady minutes, consistent performances, and a reminder that he still has the engine and delivery that once made him a fixture in the side.

Queiroz has taken note. So has the rest of the dressing room.

Ernest Nuamah and the long wait

On the opposite flank, another return carries a different kind of weight. Ernest Nuamah is back.

The Olympique Lyon winger has been out for close to a year, his progress halted by a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept him sidelined for more than 12 months. Now he is back to full fitness and back in the squad, a major boost for Ghana’s attacking options.

For a player whose game is built on pace, direct running, and sharp changes of direction, returning from an ACL layoff is never straightforward. His inclusion signals confidence in his recovery and in his ability to rediscover the spark that made him one of Ghana’s most exciting young forwards.

Defensive reinforcements and midfield depth

The medical charts tell more stories.

Rayo Vallecano defender Abdul Mumin also returns after his own long absence with an ACL injury. His comeback restores another athletic, ball-playing option at the back at a time when tournament football demands depth in every line.

In midfield, Saint-Étienne’s Augustine Boakye is recalled, adding craft and energy between the lines, while Stade Rennes defender Alidu Seidu also rejoins the group, strengthening the defensive core with his aggression and versatility.

These are not cosmetic changes. They are calculated recalls aimed at broadening Queiroz’s hand ahead of a World Cup that will test every squad’s resilience.

A look to the future: Paul Reverson

Not every call-up is about the here and now.

Ajax Amsterdam youngster Paul Reverson has been included with a long-term view. The 20-year-old has impressed for Ajax’s youth side in the Netherlands and now steps into the senior national setup for further assessment.

This is the kind of selection that stretches beyond one camp or one tournament. Even in a World Cup year, Queiroz is carving out space to integrate the next wave, to let emerging talent feel the tempo of international football early.

Wales now, World Cup next

The squad will fully assemble in Cardiff on Monday, May 25, 2026, sharpening details for the Wales friendly and, more importantly, for the demands of the World Cup that follows.

Ghana’s path in Group L is clear and unforgiving.

Panama await first in Toronto, a fixture the Black Stars will be expected to control. Then the stakes rise sharply: England in Boston, Croatia in Philadelphia. Three cities, three distinct challenges, and no margin for a slow start.

Cardiff is only a camp. Wales is only a friendly. But for Baba Rahman, Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Mumin, Augustine Boakye, Alidu Seidu, Paul Reverson, and the rest of Queiroz’s 28, these days will shape who boards the plane and who watches the World Cup from home.