Jameel Ible News

Arsenal 'eye cut-price £35m deal' for England World Cup star as part of double swoop

Arsenal are reportedly setting their sights on Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, along with teammate Morgan Rogers. Both players are in North America as part of England's World Cup squad. Konsa has featured for every single minute of the tournament to date, having cemented himself as a first-choice centre-back under Thomas Tuchel . Attacking midfielder Rogers has had to be more patient, coming off the bench in the opening two group stage fixtures. He then played the full 90 minutes of the victory against Panama , before returning to the bench as an unused substitute in the 2-1 win over DR Congo on Wednesday . The Daily Mail reports that Konsa is emerging as a genuine transfer target for Arsenal this summer, owing to his versatility in operating at both centre-back and right-back. FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook page It is further suggested that the Gunners believe he could be acquired for approximately £35million, though Villa place a higher value on the defender. Konsa has two years left to run on his current deal at Villa Park, and Arsenal are aware that Villa must offload players this summer to comply with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). The club are reluctant to part with key man Rogers, but may be open to entertaining offers for other members of their squad. Arsenal remain keen on Rogers , with England colleague Declan Rice reportedly doing his best to persuade the forward to swap Villa Park for the Emirates Stadium. It is suggested that the Gunners believe a bid in the region of £85million could be enough to get talks with Villa off the ground. However, complications could arise due to a 20 per cent sell-on clause that Middlesbrough hold as part of the agreement that took Rogers to Villa in January 2024. With Rogers tied to Villa until 2031, the Midlands side are firmly in the driving seat. The 23-year-old was in outstanding form last season, netting 14 goals and laying on 12 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions, playing a key role as Villa claimed the Europa League trophy. Mikel Arteta will be eager to bolster his squad as Arsenal look to defend their Premier League crown next season. Reflecting on the club's transfer ambitions at the close of last season, the Gunners' manager set out his stall ahead of the summer window. "We'll start to make some very important decisions, we want to reach another level," he said. "We're going to have to show that ambition because they are more than capable of doing it but it's going to demand us to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

2026-07-03

Barcelona launch sensational Harry Kane transfer move as Bayern Munich lay out stance

Barcelona have made contact with Harry Kane's representatives as they explore a sensational move for the England captain. Kane, 32, has entered the final year of his contract with Bayern Munich , where he's enjoyed a prolific three campaigns. The striker and his family are settled in Bavaria , with informal talks over a new deal taking place last season. But as things stand, Kane's long-term future remains uncertain. That's why, according to the Mail , executives from Barcelona have reached out to Kane's camp. After expressing their interest, the La Liga champions agreed to revisit the situation once England's World Cup campaign is over. Kane scored his third goal of the tournament during Saturday's 2-0 win against Panama in New Jersey. England will now play DR Congo in the round of 32 on Wednesday before a potential clash with Mexico or Ecuador . Get the latest World Cup 2026 news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletter Kane's camp are said to have shut down the conversation during a phone call with Barcelona, and their focus after the World Cup will be agreeing a new contract at Bayern. The German giants are desperate to keep Kane, who scored an obscene 61 goals in 51 games for his club last season. Barca are looking for a new No.9 after former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski decided to leave the Camp Nou. Hansi Flick's side have made efforts to sign ex-Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez , but Atletico Madrid are currently refusing to sell him to a domestic rival. Kane has frequently reiterated that he's happy in Bavaria and chose not to activate a clause in his current deal that would've allowed him to leave Bayern for £56million this summer. Should Harry Kane join Barcelona? Have your say in the comments section . Club legend and Bayern advisor Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in April that formal negotiations would take place after the season ended, with the 32-year-old having lifted the Bundesliga title and DFB Pokal. "Getting Harry Kane to Munich was an important coup in the history of the club," Rummenigge told t-online . "It is known that he had a release clause. "He didn't trigger that and signalled that he would definitely stay in Munich. And, as agreed, now those responsible in the operational area will hold talks with him at some stage after the season." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

2026-06-29

Bellingham, Kane score as England beat Panama to reach World Cup last 32

Latest News International News North & East Environment Business Bites Social Love Horse Racing World Champs Commonwealth Games FIFA World Cup Entertainment Art & Culture Tuesday Style Food Awards JOL Takes Style Out Design Week JA Black Friday Relationships Classifieds Motor Vehicles Place an Ad Jobs & Careers Study Centre Jnr Study Centre Advertorial Supplements Latest News International News North & East Environment Business Bites Social Love Horse Racing World Champs Commonwealth Games FIFA World Cup Entertainment Art & Culture Tuesday Style Food Awards JOL Takes Style Out Design Week JA Black Friday Relationships Classifieds Motor Vehicles Place an Ad Jobs & Careers Study Centre Jnr Study Centre Advertorial Supplements International News Business Bites Food Awards Entertainment World Champs Career & Education Classifieds Environment Advertorial Supplements Design Week England's midfielder #10 Jude Bellingham and Panama's defender #23 Michael Amir Murillo fight for the ball during the 2026 World Cup Group L football match between Panama and England at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 27, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) Latest News, Sports June 27, 2026 Bellingham, Kane score as England beat Panama to reach World Cup last 32 EAST RUTHERFORD, United States (AFP) — Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored second-half goals as England got the job done against Panama at the World Cup on Saturday, a 2-0 victory at the MetLife Stadium taking Thomas Tuchel’s team into the last 32 as Group L winners. Real Madrid star Bellingham got on the end of a Bukayo Saka corner to break the deadlock just after the hour mark on a soggy day in New Jersey. It was largely uninspiring stuff up to that point, but the opening goal had been coming and Bellingham then crossed for Kane to head in the second midway through the second half. That was Kane’s third goal of the tournament after he netted a brace in the opening 4-2 win over Croatia, and the England captain has now moved clear of Gary Lineker as his country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with 11. Three of those goals came when England thrashed Panama 6-1 at the 2018 tournament in Russia, but the Three Lions did not have things quite so easy this time against hard-working but limited opponents. Questions were perhaps being asked about England’s World Cup prospects an hour into this match, following the goalless draw against Ghana in Boston last Tuesday. They have not yet reached the same heights again as in their victory against Croatia, but England advance to the next round on top of the group with seven points out of a possible nine. Topping the section is important, as it means they avoid a possible clash with Spain in the last 16. Instead they will head to Atlanta for a tie next Wednesday, July 1 against a third-placed team. Win that, and they will be off to Mexico City in the last 16, possibly to play Mexico, in the Azteca Stadium where they lost to Diego Maradona’s Argentina in 1986. Tuchel will not be getting carried away thinking that far ahead, and there is surely a lot for England still to do before they are truly ready to take on and beat the tournament’s other heavyweights. That said, it is unlikely they will come up against any more sides who play with such a low defensive block as Ghana did, and as Panama did for much of this contest. The Central American nation, ranked 34th in the world, competed well but created few chances and have still never won a point at the tournament. They lost all three group games at their debut World Cup in 2018, and go out after losing all three matches this time — all without scoring, with this result following 1-0 reverses against Ghana and Croatia. Tuchel made five changes to his line-up following the Ghana encounter, notably choosing to rest Declan Rice from the midfield. Marcus Rashford and Saka got their first starts of the World Cup on the wings. Rashford forced a good save from Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera inside the opening 10 minutes, and later headed over an Elliot Anderson cross before curling a free-kick just past in first-half stoppage time. Panama did also threaten once in the opening period, when Jordan Pickford had to get down to stop a Jose Luis Rodriguez shot at his near post. England were pedestrian before the break, but the match started to open up for them following the restart. Jose Cordoba nearly forced an own goal when his clearance came off teammate Andres Andrade and went narrowly over, and Mosquera then denied Kane. A goal was beginning to feel inevitable and it arrived on 62 minutes as Bellingham held off Jorge Gutierrez at Saka’s corner to turn the ball in. That was his second goal of the competition, and he then turned provider for Kane to make sure of the win. Jose Fajardo then thought he had a late consolation for Panama, but his effort was disallowed for offside. It has probably been England’s least remarkable group-stage showing at a World Cup since 2014, when they went out in the first round. This time, however, they are safely through. Tags: England Football Panama World Cup 2026 {"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"} 0 Comments · Make a comment ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER Latest News, News PPC renews commitment to support MSMEs on World MSME Day June 27, 2026 KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Jamaica's micro, small and medium-sized enterp... {"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"} International News, Latest News Nation of Islam first lady Khadijah Farrakhan dies at 90 June 27, 2026 Khadijah Farrakhan, the wife of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and the organisation's First Lady, has died at the age of 90. 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He was liste... {"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"} Latest News, Sports Kings Academy, York qualify for JFC June 27, 2026 KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kings Football Academy’s qualification for next season’s Jamaica Football Championships has been described as “a massive step” by ... {"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"} HOUSE RULES We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read. Please don't use the comments to advertise. 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2026-06-28

England star Elliot Anderson makes statement as Man City schedule transfer medical

Elliot Anderson's £116million price-tag may seem excessive, but look closely and you'll see exactly why Manchester City view him as the future of their midfield. At this World Cup, he already looks a focal part of England's and his fingerprints were all over this cagey yet crucial Jude Bellingham-inspired victory over Panama . There's a certain school of thinking that players of such enormous economic value should guarantee you 20 goals and 15 assists per season. However, orchestrators and conductors like Anderson should not solely be judged on data and metrics, though come full-time, it was very telling that he'd had more touches than any player on the pitch (92). The 23-year-old's simplicity and comfort holding down the centre of the pitch frees up England's forward players and provided man of the match Bellingham with a licence to roam from a deeper role. The Three Lions' worrying struggles breaking down both Ghana and Panama should not be used as a stick to beat Anderson with, however. It's not really his job to pick locks and create but he is still capable of providing a killer pass - just like he did for Bellingham in Dallas. His first-half back-post cross for Marcus Rashford wasn't bad, either. One of several key issues Thomas Tuchel is facing - right now there are obviously more pressing concerns regarding fluidity, particularly in the final third - is the balance of his midfield. Morgan Rogers can be a spark but including him as the No.10 requires Tuchel to drop one of Anderson, Bellingham or Rice, which feels far-fetched. Furthermore, Anderson and Rice are very similar players - outstanding ones, too - and there's an argument that while they can excel together, the pairing lacks variety. Rice, who took a blow to his calf in Boston and had a yellow card, was rightfully rested here and it speaks volumes that even with muscle tightness, Tuchel still selected Anderson ahead of Kobbie Mainoo . Quite simply, it's because he considers him to be the heartbeat of his team and his handful of recoveries to extinguish threatening Panama breaks was further evidence of that. While it was an unsightly team display that will not live long in the memory outside of those five explosive second-half minutes, Anderson was one of very few positives and the pressure of his impending big-money transfer to City does not appear to be weighing heavily upon his shoulders. Toughest tests lie ahead but whatever happens, two years after being offered to Wolves by Newcastle in a player-plus-cash deal for Max Kilman, he is indispensable for his country on the biggest stage of all. Per sources close to the England camp, his City medical could finally take place in the coming days. Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now! Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

2026-06-27

Reece James missing for England training ahead of World Cup match against Panama

Skip to content Sky Sports Homepage Rugby Union Rugby League More Sports Rugby Union Rugby League Upcoming on Sky Get Sky Sports Sky Sports App Sky Sports with no contract Kick It Out British South Asians in Football Watch Sky Sports Scores & Fixtures Premier League Aston Villa Bournemouth Brighton And Hove Albion Coventry City Crystal Palace Ipswich Town Leeds United Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Tottenham Hotspur Women's Super League Arsenal Women Aston Villa Women Birmingham City Women Brighton And Hove Albion Women Charlton Athletic Women Chelsea Women Crystal Palace Women Everton Women Liverpool Women London City Lionesses Manchester City Women Manchester United Women Tottenham Hotspur Women West Ham United Women Championship Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Bristol City Cardiff City Charlton Athletic Derby County Lincoln City Middlesbrough Norwich City Preston North End Queens Park Rangers Sheffield United Southampton Swansea City West Bromwich Albion West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers AFC Wimbledon Bradford City Burton Albion Cambridge United Doncaster Rovers Huddersfield Town Leicester City Leyton Orient Mansfield Town Milton Keynes Dons Notts County Oxford United Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Sheffield Wednesday Stockport County Wigan Athletic Wycombe Wanderers Accrington Stanley Bristol Rovers Cheltenham Town Chesterfield Colchester United Crawley Town Crewe Alexandra Exeter City Fleetwood Town Grimsby Town Newport County AFC Northampton Town Oldham Athletic Rotherham United Salford City Shrewsbury Town Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Scottish Premiership Dundee United St Johnstone Athletic Club Atletico Madrid Deportivo Alaves Deportivo La Coruna Racing Santander Rayo Vallecano Real Madrid Real Sociedad Inter Milan 1. FC Union Berlin Bayer Leverkusen Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund Eintracht Frankfurt FC Augsburg Hamburger SV SC Freiburg SV 07 Elversberg Werder Bremen Paris Saint-Germain ADO Den Haag Fortuna Sittard Go Ahead Eagles NEC Nijmegen PSV Eindhoven Sparta Rotterdam Internationals Bosnia-Herzegovina Czech Republic Football Union of Russia Ivory Coast Korea Republic Netherlands New Zealand Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland Saudi Arabia South Africa Switzerland Competitions Domestic Leagues Premier League Carabao Cup Barclays Women's Super League Sky Bet Championship Sky Bet League One Sky Bet League Two Scottish Premiership Scottish Women's Premier League Scottish Championship Scottish League 1 Scottish League 2 Barclays Women's Super League 2 UEFA Champions League Women's Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League Internationals Women's European Championships Women's World Cup UEFA Nations League FIFA World Cup European Championships Africa Cup of Nations Domestic Cups Vertu Trophy National League National Leagues German Bundesliga Spanish La Liga Italian Serie A French Ligue 1 Reece James missing for England training ahead of World Cup match against Panama Friday 26 June 2026 17:16, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Reece James only England player missing from training ahead of World Cup match against Panama. Carra expects Saka and Rashford to be among England changes against Panama Carra: England should have made room for 'something different' Palmer 'Brilliant from the Brazilian!' | Bruno G's best goals for Newcastle Carra: Anderson will make City midfield 'formidable' alongside Rodri 'Versatility is key' - Why Man City are ready to pay record fee for Anderson Arsenal's next star? 16-year-old Monga scores brilliant solo goal against Preston! 'He's WAY off £112m' | Diomande: I'm not thinking about my future World Cup Cheat Sheet: Big guns through, Germany shocked, bad news for Scotland Coming soon to Man City? Anderson's BEST PL moments for Forest Eze distracted as Toney makes surprise arrival! Who is Marco Palestra? | Why 'Serie A's best defender' is perfect for Alonso and Chelsea Palestra flying to London to seal Chelsea move TEAMtalk.com Football365.com Sky Sports Channels Sky Sports Main Event Sky Sports Premier League Sky Sports Football Sky Sports Cricket Sky Sports Golf Sky Sports F1 Sky Sports Tennis Sky Sports Action Sky Sports News Sky Sports+ Sky Sports Racing Sky Sports Mix More Sky Sites Sky For Businesses Sky Partnerships Store Locator Advertise With Us Terms & Conditions Privacy & Cookies Notice Privacy Options Accessibility Information © 2026 Sky UK Rugby Union Rugby League More Sports Rugby Union Rugby League Upcoming on Sky Get Sky Sports Sky Sports App Sky Sports with no contract Kick It Out British South Asians in Football Watch Sky Sports

2026-06-26

England held goalless draw by Ghana in WC

England failed to take three points from its second World Cup Group L match, as the Three Lions were held to a 0-0 draw by a well-organized Ghana side at Boston Stadium on Tuesday, reported Xinhua. England captain Harry Kane wasted a good chance in the 86th minute when a rebound from Nico O'Reilly's header fell invitingly for him, but he blasted over the bar. The Three Lions, who defeated Croatia 4-2 in their Group L opener, could not find a way past a Ghana side ranked 65th by FIFA, though they outshot Ghana 18-2. "It's very frustrating," said Jude Bellingham, named Player of the Match for a driving display on his 50th appearance for the Three Lions. "It feels like we've got that 'second-game fever' again. In most tournaments I've played, it's been the same: a decent performance and good win in the first game, then a tougher second one." England has begun a World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins only three times in its 17 appearances: in 1982, 2006 and 2018. "I'm a bit frustrated with how they defended and how they set up. Credit to them - they got exactly what they played for. We couldn't break them down, even with all the corners, all the possession and the shots from distance," said the midfielder. "It's important for us not to get too negative about it. We'll watch the footage, see where we could have been better and then prepare for Panama. I've just told the lads that in there - no worries, no stress and no drama. It's not the end of the world. Four points put us in a good position," Bellingham added. In the 12th minute, a neat combination between Noni Madueke and Reece James sent England in behind the Ghana defense, but Thomas Partey made a crucial block. Two minutes later, England midfielder Declan Rice flashed a free kick over the bar, and in the 16th minute his shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner. Kane had his first sight of goal in first-half stoppage time from a Rice pass, but his effort was deflected for another corner. Ghana's first attempt on goal came in the 50th minute when Marvin Semaya broke in behind the England defense down the right. Djed Spence's covering intervention denied a clear shot and Semaya's subsequent ball flashed across the six-yard box. In the 57th minute, England attacked down the left, with Anthony Gordon setting up Madueke on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked. Gordon then had an effort of his own, which was comfortably held by Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. England's last chance came in injury time, but Marc Guehi's header was cleared off the line. England coach Thomas Tuchel credited his players for their patience and persistence in searching for solutions against the opponent. "We had a double chance at the end, and perhaps we deserved to win. It's difficult to score against these teams; if you can't score, it becomes a game of patience. It's not easy when teams defend with such a low block," he said. "In the first half, we tried, we had pace, intensity, but we simply couldn't score. We did a great job defending their counterattacks; we were very good. The substitutes did a good job. The match against Panama is in four days, and we'll think about it later," Tuchel said. Ghana coach Queiroz expressed satisfaction with his side's hard-earned goalless draw. "I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game, how much they stood behind the game plan," said Queiroz, who is competing at his fifth World Cup as a head coach. "When you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll. That's the name of the game, but the goal was exactly to finish the first half with the England team frustrated, with no solutions." England and Ghana are now level on four points from two matches, with England leading Group L on goal difference.

2026-06-24

Ghana look to diaspora for backing as Partey case and years of flux cloud planning

That it took Ghana until 2006 to qualify for the World Cup, despite being African football’s dominant team of the 1960s, 70s and the early 80s, winning the Africa Cup of Nations four times during this period, reflects the topsy-turvy nature of their football odyssey. “The journey of the Black Stars over the last four decades has been marked by long periods of disappointment,” says Gary Al-Smith, one of the country’s most respected football journalists. “We had a surge between 2006 and 2017, when we qualified for eight straight semi-finals at Afcon but never won anything. Yes, we had a quarter-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup, but our record overall has been pockmarked with great highlights but never a trophy. There has been nothing to celebrate.” The lack of managerial stability has certainly not helped Ghana’s quest for Afcon and World Cup glory. In the past five years they have had five coaches – Charles Akonnor, Milovan Rajevac, Chris Hughton and Otto Addo (in two spells) – before Carlos Queiroz, the former Real Madrid manager, was handed the mantle a month before the start of the World Cup. The revolving door of coaches, as Al-Smith says, has done little for team-building and competitiveness. “Teams need rhythm to grow,” he says. “Where there has to be a change in coaches, the philosophies need to match, in order for there to be continuity. In Ghana’s case, the frequent chopping and changing has meant that different coaches have brought different methods, philosophies and ways of playing. It’s not helped in the way that players are selected. The changes have certainly not helped, in terms of giving us the continuity that we have desired and needed.” The decision of Canada’s immigration authorities not to allow Thomas Partey into the country for the opener against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday, has not helped, especially with Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus, Ghana’s most influential player, ruled out of the tournament because of injury. “For Canada, which is a party to many international treaties, that accepts the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court, to decide that they have some rules that will not allow you to be admitted into their country is unfair and an overreaction,” said Kofi Adams, Ghana’s sports minister. “We have strongly protested against that.” Ghana’s appeal against the decision was rejected on Tuesday night. “Ever since his [Partey’s] issue started, we knew that once we qualified for the World Cup and we had been drawn against England, there would be trouble and headlines,” Al-Smith says. “The Ghana FA knew that there would be trouble too. They have been doing all sort of work to mitigate the effects, the blowback. “What they did not foresee was the action of the Canadians. They had got some assurances from somewhere that nothing was going to happen because it is a World Cup.” Ensuring fans of the Black Stars could travel to the United States, Mexico and Canada to cheer on the team, despite the severe immigration restrictions placed on travel by the United States and Canada, was the initial priority of the government. But there was a sudden change of strategy from John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s president, after the financial realities of the plan made it unsustainable for a country battling with severe economic difficulties. “When I interviewed President Mahama last year he told me that the government will not spend money on taking Ghanaians abroad and that they will engage the private sector to do so,” says Al-Smith. “These amounts would have been used to pay for supporters to go from Ghana to the US. That was going to cost $10,000 (£7,450) per head. “But a few weeks ago, in London, he announced the plan had changed as the government didn’t think that was value for money. Instead they would locate the Ghanaian communities in the major cities of the diaspora, like Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and Toronto and, through some mechanisms, tickets will be given to them to support the team instead. With a few days to go to the games, they have not received any tickets from the embassies in Washington and Ottawa.” With tough group games against England and Croatia to come, Ghana will need their vibrant, colourful supporters more than ever.

2026-06-17

2026 World Cup: ‘We fear no foe’ – Kurt Okraku on Black Stars campaign

Ghana Football Association President, Kurt Okraku, has declared enormous confidence in the ability of the Black Stars to excel at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The men's senior national team will be making their fifth appearance at the global showpiece later in June, hoping to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time since 2010. Ghana exited the group stages of their last two participations in the tournament. Speaking at the launch of the fundraising campaign, Kurt is optimistic the narrative will be different. “Today, we are very confident that the intangible assets that we have produced over time, the intangible assets that have been put together by coach [Otto] Addo and his team, we will make Ghana proud. “We will go into this tournament with our chest up, ready to fight for the strip and ready to change our story. We fear no foe and believe me, Ghana football will speak," Okraku added. Ghana is paired with England, Croatia, and Panama in Group L. As part of preparations, the Black Stars will face Austria on March 27 at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, before taking on Germany in their second friendly on March 30 in Stuttgart. The team will then travel to North America for a friendly against Mexico on May 22 at a venue yet to be announced, before wrapping up against Wales on June 2.

2026-03-23