Head coach Otto Addo has officially announced his 22-man squad for the Ghana Black Stars' upcoming Kirin Cup international friendlies against Japan and South Korea. These crucial preparatory matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers are scheduled for November 14 at Toyota Stadium in Aichi, Japan, and November 18 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in South Korea. Coach Addo has aimed for a balanced team, combining experienced international players with promising young talents to assess squad depth and refine tactics.

The squad announcement, however, also highlighted the absence of six senior players due to injuries and fitness concerns. Key figures like captain Jordan Ayew and midfielder Mohammed Kudus have been ruled out. Kudus is recovering from a knock, while Ayew's absence was confirmed due to recent injuries. Thomas Partey will miss the friendlies because of persistent injury concerns, and Alexander Djiku was withdrawn after suffering a series of injuries. Fatawu Issahaku and Joseph Paintsil will also not feature, as their respective clubs opted against releasing them, primarily as a precautionary measure to protect their fitness and aid recovery.

Despite these significant absences, the squad welcomes several new faces. Left-back Derrick Kohn of Union Berlin is set to make his debut for Ghana, having successfully completed his nationality switch through FIFA. He was previously called up but was ineligible. Other debutants include Prince Kwabena Adu, a striker from FC Viktoria Plzeň, who has impressed with six goals; Kelvin Nkrumah of Medeama SC, a standout performer in the Ghana Premier League and a gold medalist with the Black Satellites at the 2024 African Games; and Prince Osei Owusu, a CF Montréal striker known for scoring nine goals in 31 appearances.

The goalkeeping department comprises Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak), Joseph Anang (St. Patrick’s Athletic), and Lawrence Ati Zigi (St. Gallen). The defensive line features established players such as Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre), and Alidu Seidu (Stade Rennes), complemented by emerging talents including Derrick Kohn, Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (FC Basel), Caleb Yirenkyi (FC Nordsjaelland), Ebenezer Annan (Saint-Étienne), and Kojo Oppong Peprah (OGC Nice). Midfield creativity will be supplied by Kamaldeen Sulemana (Atalanta), Abu Francis (Toulouse), Prince Owusu (Medeama SC), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), and Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al-Qadsiah). Upfront, experienced forwards Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) and Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City) are joined by the promising newcomers Kelvin Nkrumah, Prince Adu Kwabena, and Prince Osei Owusu. These friendlies provide a vital opportunity for Coach Addo to evaluate the squad ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures.