Ghana Near Qualification for 2026 FIFA World Cup After Defeating Central African Republic in Meknes
- Ghana nears qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after overcoming Central African Republic in Meknes in Morocco
- Ghana, under the stewardship of Otto Addo, can join the elite list of African nations with five World Cup appearances on Sunday
- The Black Stars of Ghana bounce back from their 2025 AFCON heartbreak to stage an impressive World Cup qualifying campaign
The Black Stars of Ghana are on the right path to book their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after seeing off the Central African Republic 5-0 in their penultimate Group I qualifier in Meknes on Wednesday, October 8.
The West African nation now needs at least a draw against Comoros on Sunday, October 12, at the Accra Sports Stadium to confirm its place for next year's tournament.
Source: Twitter
Mohammed Salisu opened the scoring with a thumping header in the 21st minute before second-half strikes from Thomas Partey, Alexander Djiku, skipper Jordan Ayew, and Kamaldeen Sulemana sealed the huge win for Otto Addo's men.
According to FIFA, Ghana came into the decisive clash as group leaders with 19 points from eight matches, sitting three points ahead of second-placed Madagascar. The team knew that anything short of a positive result could delay their chances, but the Black Stars rose to the occasion in trademark style.
Source: Twitter
With this triumph, Ghana is on course to qualify for its fifth FIFA World Cup, following previous appearances in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, and Qatar 2022.
Ghana’s qualification series has been defined by consistency and resilience, with a game to spare, picking up seven wins, one draw, and one loss, while scoring 21 goals and conceding only six in their nine qualifiers.
Under the guidance of coach ex-Ghana international and Borussia Dortmund star Addo, the team has rediscovered its winning mentality, unity, and national pride after failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Celebrations are expected to erupt across Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, and beyond this Sunday as Ghanaian fans look forward to seeing their beloved Black Stars qualify and shine at the world’s biggest football tournament.
Has Ghana qualified for 2026 World Cup?
Not yet. Following the completion of the nine-matchday games of the CAF World Cup qualifiers in Group I on Wednesday, Ghana remain at the top of the table with 22 points.
However, despite their strong position, the Black Stars are yet to officially secure qualification, though they hold the brightest chance of advancing over their rivals.
According to the tie-breaking criteria for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, as cited by Wikipedia, the only scenario that could see the Black Stars, who currently boast a goal difference of +18, miss out on qualification if Ghana lose their final home qualifier against Comoros, while Madagascar, sitting second with 19 points and a goal difference of +8, manage to secure an away win against Mali in Bamako.
However, Madagascar would have to defeat Mali with a kind of scoreline that sees them have a superior goal difference than Ghana after 10 games played.
For example, if Ghana lose 1-0 to Comoros in the capital and Madagascar beats Mali 8-0 on the road. Such an outcome would hand Madagascar a superior goal difference over Ghana, ultimately denying the Black Stars a place at the World Cup.
But to put it bluntly, this scenario is highly unlikely to happen.
2026 World Cup qualified teams
In an earlier update, YEN.com.gh reported the list of teams that have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, featuring football powerhouses like Argentina and Brazil.
The list highlights nations with rich World Cup histories, already securing their spots for the tournament.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
