Ayew to be named substantive captain of Black Stars, Partey rejects deputy role

Black Stars forward Jordan Ayew is reportedly poised to be officially named the permanent captain of the national team.

According to Joy Sports, the Leicester City striker is set to assume the role of primary skipper commencing with the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The report further indicates that Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, who previously served as the first deputy captain under André Ayew, has opted not to continue in the role after being surpassed by Jordan Ayew for the captaincy.

This decision has reportedly led to the appointment of Alexander Djiku as the new first deputy captain.

Partey, who has held the position of first deputy skipper since 2019, concludes a six-year tenure in the leadership hierarchy.

READ ALSO: Massive fire destroys bush canteen at University of Ghana, Legon [Video]

Jordan Ayew most recently captained the Black Stars in the final round of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, stepping in for Partey and André Ayew.

Initially, Mohammed Kudus had been preferred over Jordan for the role.

Head coach Otto Addo clarified the decision:

I have decided to appoint a new captain, Jordan. I spoke to Kudus to help him understand that I want him to grow into this role and serve as the second captain alongside Djiku.

Addo made these remarks after naming Jordan as captain for the final two qualifying matches, adding,

Jordan will take over from now, and he will lead and guide the team.

MUST READ: Here are the top 10 most visited websites in the world in 2025

According to JoySports, Thomas Partey is not interested in a leadership role on the team and is only focused on playing football.

What's next for the team?

Ghana will face Chad in March on Matchday 5 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Black Stars will be hoping to clinch the three points as they seek to make it to their 5th Mundial.

Read Full Story