
Andre Ayew
* Ahead of next week’s double header against Mali and the Central African Republic
* England -born Thomas-Asante has earned his chance on the back of an impressive 11-goal haul in the English Championship this season
Maravi Express
Coach Otto Addo has rung some changes for Ghana’s upcoming World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic next week, handing first senior call-ups to midfielders Ibrahim Sulemana and Brandon Thomas-Asante while captain Andre Ayew has been excluded from the squad.

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Cagliari’s Sulemana, 21, and 25-year-old West Brom striker Thomas-Asante are the new faces in Addo’s 26-man squad as the Black Stars coach looks to freshen up his ranks.
England-born Thomas-Asante has earned his chance on the back of an impressive 11-goal haul in the English Championship this season and there is also a return for influential Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, who was absent for Ghana’s matches in March’s international window.

Thomas-Asante
At the other end of the experience spectrum, veteran forward Andre Ayew has been omitted from the squad despite recently netting a brilliant consolation goal for Le Havre against Paris St Germain.
The 34-year-old former Marseille frontman was recalled by Addo in March but appears to have slipped out of favour again as Ghana’s new era gathers pace.
Addo is clearly keen to put his own stamp on the Black Stars after being handed the reins on a permanent basis following an interim spell last year.
His squad overhaul also sees a first call-up for Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Frederick Asare, the only home-based player included.
Addo’s future planning is aimed at securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with only the winners of Group I guaranteed to progress automatically.
Ghana currently sit third in the section after a 1-0 home win over Madagascar was followed by a 1-0 defeat against the Comoros in their first two qualifiers back in November.
Next up is a tough trip to Bamako to face Mali on June 6, before the Black Stars return to Kumasi’s Baba Yara Stadium to host the Central African Republic four days later.
Despite their underwhelming showing at January’s Africa Cup of Nations, Ghana remain one of the favourites to top the group and book their place at a fifth World Cup finals.
The squad has goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Jojo Wollacot (Hibernian FC), Frederick Asare (Asante Kotoko);
Defenders: Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre),Ebenezer Annan (FK Novi Pazar), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Alexander Djiku (Fenerbahce Istanbul), Alidu Seidu (Stade Rennes), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion);
Midfielders: Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United), Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyon), Salis Abdul Samed (RC Lens), Ibrahim Sulemana (Cagliari Calcio), Edmund Addo (FK Radnicki Nis), Thomas Partey (FC Arsenal), Elisha Owusu ( AJ Auxerre), Abu Francis (Cercle Brugge);
Forwards: Osman Bukari (RS Belgrade), Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Leicester City, loan from Sporting CP), Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Ibrahim Osman (FC Nordsjaelland), Kamaldeen Sulemana (FC Southampton), Brandon Thomas-Asante (West Bromwich).
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has been included in new Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan’s squad against Niger and Djibouti.

Mo Sallah
The Liverpool star missed the Pharaohs’ friendlies in March due to injury but is back in the fold as Egypt aim to strengthen their grip on Group A and Salah’s return is a major boost for Hassan, who also hands a first senior call-up to Ibrahim Adel after the Pyramids winger starred for the U-23 side that reached last year’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
However, there is no place in the 26-man squad for Al Ahly full-back Omar Kamal, who featured regularly under former boss Carlos Queiroz.
Egypt currently top their qualifying section with six points from wins over Djibouti and Sierra Leone last November.
But with only the group winners guaranteed to progress automatically to the 2026 finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Hassan knows his side cannot afford any slip-ups.

Hossam Hassan
The record seven-time African champions host Niger in Cairo on June 15 before heading to Djibouti City four days later as they look to open up a commanding advantage at the top of Group A.
Salah will be desperate to play a leading role on his return after an injury-disrupted second half of the season at Anfield.
The 30-year-old has understandably been criticized for his form of late but his enduring quality makes him a game-changing presence for the Pharaohs as they bid to qualify for their fourth World Cup.
With Niger and Djibouti expected to provide stubborn opposition despite limited pedigree, Hassan knows Egypt’s hopes could rest on getting the best out of talismanic figures like Salah over the remaining qualifiers.

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The squad has goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Awad, and El-Mahdi Soliman;
Defenders: Mohamed Abdelmonem, Ramy Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Ahmed Ramadan ‘Beckham’, Mohamed Hany, Akram Tawfik, Mohamed Hamdy, and Ahmed Fatouh;
Midfielders: Marwan Ateya, Hamdy Fathi, Ahmed Nabil Kouka, Emam Ashour, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Nasser Maher, Ibrahim Adel, Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Fathi, and Mahmoud Trezeguet;
Forwards: Mostafa Mohamed, Mohamed El-Shamy, Ahmed Amin Oufa, and Mohamed Sherif.—Reporting by CAFonline; editing by Maravi Express

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