Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has thrown his support behind the possibility of veteran forward Andre Ayew returning to the Black Stars setup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the experienced attacker still has plenty to offer at the highest level.
Debate has continued to grow over whether Ayew should be included in Ghana’s squad for the global tournament, especially with head coach Carlos Queiroz expected to unveil his final team on June 1.
The former West Ham United and Olympique de Marseille forward has not featured for the national team since Ghana’s underwhelming outing at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where the Black Stars failed to progress beyond the group phase despite Ayew captaining the side.
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Speaking on Adom TV, Adams admitted he is unaware of the tactical direction Queiroz intends to take but maintained that overlooking a player of Ayew’s stature and experience would be difficult.
“I don’t think it is a bad idea if Andre Ayew is named in the World Cup squad. I don’t know the coach’s plan or strategy, but if I were the coach, and I had a player with the calibre of Andre Ayew, why not?” Adams said in an interview with Adom TV.
Ayew recently parted ways with Dutch outfit NAC Breda following the club’s relegation from the Eredivisie, and the next step in his club career remains unclear.
Ghana have been drawn in a challenging Group L for the World Cup, where they will come up against England, Croatia and Panama.
The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on June 17 before taking on England six days later. Their final group fixture will be against Croatia on June 27.
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Before travelling for the tournament, Ghana are also scheduled to play international friendlies against Mexico national football team, and Wales national football team as Queiroz continues preparations for the competition.
