Ahead of the Black Stars' first games in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Kurt Okraku, president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has advised the media not to read too much into the wave of withdrawals that has plagued the team.

For the forthcoming matches against Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, Baba Rahman, Nathaniel Adjei, and Alidu Seidu have all been ruled out due to injury or personal reasons, leaving the four-time African champions without a number of important players.

Okraku maintained that the absences were real and had nothing to do with the technical team or the Ghana Football Association in an interview with Asempa FM.


"Jordan Ayew has been one of the best players and one of the players we can always count on, but after an MRI scan, the medical team told Ayew and Baba Rahman to focus on their clubs, and we can invite them in the future," he said.


"Semenyo played over the weekend and had a reaction, which is normal. Antoine was willing to come, but the truth is that he had a swollen leg, which prevented him from coming. "As a federation, we know the medical history of all the players. "We should not overstretch this discussion because the situation at hand is real.


These players are injured, and that is the fact. It has nothing to do with the technical team or the Football Association."


The withdrawals have prompted head coach Carlos Queiroz to make changes to his squad ahead of the Group C qualifiers.


Brandon Thomas-Asante, Felix Afena-Gyan and Jonas Adjetey have been called up as replacements, while Rockson Yeboah and Rahim Ibrahim have received their first senior international invitations.


Ghana begin their qualifying campaign away to Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké on 24 September before hosting Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later.


The Black Stars are seeking a return to the Africa Cup of Nations after failing to qualify for the 2025 tournament in Morocco — the first time in more than two decades that Ghana missed out on the continental finals.


Queiroz's side will then round off the international window with a friendly against Morocco in Tangier on 4 October.