Former Ghana international John Paintsil believes the Black Stars have what it takes to secure a victory over England when the two sides meet at the 2026 FIFA World Cup later this year.
Ghana will compete in a challenging Group L against Panama, England, and Croatia in the tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Despite England’s pedigree on the international stage, Paintsil remains optimistic about the Black Stars’ chances in the highly anticipated encounter scheduled for June 23. The former Ghana defender believes the familiarity between players from both teams could make the contest feel like a domestic rivalry rather than a traditional international fixture.
🇨🇦 Toronto → Boston → Philly 🇺🇸
🇬🇭 Our 2026 @FIFAWorldCup campaign begins with Panama in Toronto on 17 June. 🇵🇦
🔥 23 June – 🆚 England 🏴
⚔️ 27 June – 🆚 Croatia 🇭🇷 #RiseBlackStars 🌟 pic.twitter.com/Y02RD8ZJBA— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) December 8, 2025
Speaking to 3Sports, Paintsil explained that the number of Ghanaian players who currently live and ply their trade in England could give the Black Stars an added sense of comfort when the two nations face off.
“It will feel like a local derby because many Ghanaian players are based in England and know the environment well,” the former Black Stars defender, who played at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, said.
“But I believe Ghana can beat England if we meet.”
Paintsil expressed confidence about Ghana’s chances against the Three Lions and quickly highlighted Croatia’s threat, warning that people should not overlook the European side.
“Croatia are also a very strong team. They have quality and experience, so we must not take them lightly,” he added.
Paintsil also spoke highly of Black Stars head coach Otto Addo, praising his leadership style and discipline as key attributes that could help steer the team in the right direction ahead of the global tournament:
“Otto Addo is a good leader and a disciplinarian. We should support him and the team as they prepare for the World Cup.”
🤩 All Ghana’s @FIFAWorldCup Goals ⚽️
⏪ From 2006 to 2022, relive every goal scored by the #BlackStars at football’s biggest stage. 🏆
Which goal is your favorite? 🤔🇬🇭#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/XJkCaFlrFO
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) March 12, 2026
Ghana will open their campaign at the Mundial against Panama on June 17 before facing England six days later. Their final group-stage match will be against Croatia on June 27.
As part of preparations for the competition, the Black Stars are scheduled to hold a training camp in March, during which they will play friendly matches against Austria and Germany. Additional warm-up fixtures are planned against Mexico in May and Wales on June 2.
After suffering group-stage eliminations in both the 2014 and 2022 editions of the tournament, Ghana will be hoping to produce a stronger performance when the World Cup heads to North America.
