President John Dramani Mahama has congratulated the senior national football team, the Black Stars, for its qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a post on his official Facebook page, President Mahama wrote: “Congratulations to the senior national team, the #BlackStars. Another qualification to the World Cup. #ResettingGhana.”
His message followed Ghana’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday night, which sealed the team’s qualification for their fifth appearance on football’s biggest stage.
Also Read: Otto Addo makes history as first Black Stars coach to qualify Ghana for two successive World Cups
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, also lauded the Black Stars’ achievement and assured that Ghana’s strong diplomatic ties with the host nations would translate into benefits for fans.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) page, Mr. Ablakwa stated: “Ghanaians can be fully assured that the Foreign Ministry under my leadership shall leverage our improved cordial diplomatic relations with the United States, Canada and Mexico to guarantee appreciable visa quotas for our globally acclaimed football fans. GHANA, here we come!”
The Black Stars’ qualification came courtesy of a decisive second-half strike by Mohammed Kudus, following a well-worked move involving Thomas Partey and Mohammed Salisu.
Though the match began on a cagey note, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances, Ghana gradually took control after the break. Their patience was rewarded just two minutes into the second half when Kudus found the net to give Ghana a vital lead.
Comoros, who had beaten Ghana in the reverse fixture, pushed forward in search of an equaliser but were kept at bay by a resolute Ghanaian defence marshalled by Salisu and Alexander Djiku. Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare also made a couple of key interventions to preserve the lead.
The final whistle was met with loud cheers and jubilation from the fans, as the players and technical team celebrated another milestone in Ghana’s football journey.
With this feat, Coach Otto Addo has become the first Ghanaian to qualify the Black Stars for two FIFA World Cups, cementing his place in the nation’s football history.