Ghana one point from 2026 World Cup as Comoros test beckons in Accra

Ghana stand a single result away from returning to the FIFA World Cup. Otto Addo’s Black Stars need just a draw against Comoros on Sunday at the Accra Sports Stadium to confirm their place at the 2026 finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

It is a straightforward assignment with heavyweight significance for a nation desperate to re-establish itself among the game’s elite. For players and supporters alike, the target is simple: finish the job.

Ghana top Group I on 22 points, three clear of Madagascar (19) with one round to play. That cushion was built on Wednesday’s 5–0 rout of the Central African Republic, a statement win that showcased tempo, fluidity and a clinical edge Addo has been drilling into his side.

It was not merely comfortable; it was commanding—precisely the kind of performance that suggests a team peaking at the decisive moment of qualifying.

Addo struck a measured tone in Saturday’s briefing inside the Accra bowl.

“I don’t think previous results will affect us too much. We can’t win every game. We know how strong they are,” the head coach said, a nod to Comoros’ capacity to complicate even the most favourable equations. Cautious and clear-eyed, his message mirrored the realities of African qualifying, where fine margins and awkward game states are never far away.

Team selection is the one cloud. Inaki Williams, Tariq Lamptey, Salis Abdul Samed and Ernest Nuamah are unavailable, trimming options in key areas.

Even so, Ghana’s attacking blend remains potent. Mohammed Kudus’ invention between the lines, Antoine Semenyo’s running in behind and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku’s directness from wide areas have clicked in recent windows, giving the Black Stars multiple ways to hurt opponents.

Behind them, a back line that has looked increasingly secure under Addo provides the platform to control risk and dictate territory.

Comoros arrive with pride at stake and mischief in mind. Out of top-spot contention but far from resigned to a supporting role, the Coelacanths travel to Accra with licence to be compact, energetic and disruptive.

They will test Ghana’s patience, seek transitions, and lean on set-pieces—classic away-day levers that can turn a tight match. How the Black Stars manage the game’s rhythm, and how quickly they turn pressure into chances, will shape the evening.

The maths is uncomplicated. A draw guarantees Ghana first place. Even in defeat, the leaders’ superior goal difference over Madagascar provides a layer of insurance—but that is a safety net Addo has little interest in using.

He wants control rather than calculation, momentum rather than nerves, and a finish that reflects the team’s upward curve rather than a stumble over the line.

The broader context heightens the sense of occasion. Ghana’s last World Cup appearance came in 2014, with the 2022 finals in Qatar passed by from the outside looking in.

For a country that made three successive tournaments between 2006 and 2014—and thrilled neutrals along the way—ending that absence matters. Qualification would mark a restoration of standards and deliver a timely jolt of optimism ahead of a World Cup expanded to 48 teams, with Africa’s allocation increased to nine automatic berths.

That expansion has not diluted the challenge. The group has been competitive, with Madagascar, Mali and Comoros all capable of trading blows with the leaders on the day. Ghana’s separation has come from improved control in both boxes—more ruthlessness when chances arrive and fewer cheap concessions at the other end—hallmarks Addo has sought since his return to the role.

This window has also underlined the squad’s resilience. Injuries have forced adjustments, yet the team’s structure has held. The midfield has balanced ball-winning and progression; full-backs have picked their moments; and the front unit has looked sharper in rotations. Those elements, more than any single star turn, have nudged Ghana to the brink of qualification.

Addo, appointed with the brief to steer the campaign to a successful close, is within touching distance of delivering exactly that. The journey has not been flawless—the odd flat display and a solitary defeat offered reminders that nothing comes easily in CAF qualifying—but the arc has bent towards a coherent, confident side. Sunday offers the chance to pin that progress to a tangible prize.

The setting will be fitting. The Accra Sports Stadium is expected to be full and febrile, a wall of sound urging the Black Stars over the line. For the faithful, this is about more than arithmetic; it is about renewing a bond and resetting expectations on the continental and global stage. A professional performance, a clean sheet and a point—or better—would bank the ticket and send a message that Ghana are back where they belong.

Win, draw, but above all, qualify: that is the brief. If Ghana reproduce Wednesday’s intensity and manage the moments that invariably arise in tight qualifiers, they should have enough to close out Group I on their terms. Ninety focused minutes against Comoros can turn a season of graft into a summer of promise.

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