Ghana’s World Cup plans have taken a heavy blow with confirmation that Mohammed Salisu will not be available for the 2026 finals after suffering a serious knee injury earlier this year.
The AS Monaco centre-back damaged his anterior cruciate ligament during a Ligue 1 encounter with Olympique Lyonnais in January, an injury that immediately sidelined him for the long term. The defender has since undergone surgery and has started a structured rehabilitation programme in the gym, but the medical prognosis has ruled out any chance of a return in time for the global showpiece.
Following a detailed assessment in France, Black Stars team doctor Prince Pambo explained that the recovery timeline stretches well beyond the World Cup window.
“Mohammed Salisu will miss the World Cup; his knee injury requires nine months to recover,” Dr Pambo told Asempa FM.
The news leaves Ghana coach Otto Addo facing a significant selection headache in defence as he finalises plans for the tournament.
Ghana defender Salisu suffers devastating ACL injury as World Cup fears grow
Dr Pambo also shared an update on the condition of midfielder Francis Abu, who sustained a bad ankle injury while on international duty during Ghana’s Kirin Cup meeting with Japan last November. His rehabilitation, however, is progressing better than initially feared.
“Francis Abu was expected to recover five to six months after surgery, but he is responding well to treatment,” he added.
Ghana’s 2026 World Cup journey begins in Group L with an opening clash against Panama, followed by fixtures against England and Croatia. Preparations for the finals will gather pace in March with friendly matches lined up against Austria and Germany, as the technical team fine-tunes the squad.
The final list of players set to carry Ghana’s hopes on the world stage is expected to be unveiled on June 1, with Salisu’s absence now confirmed as one of the tournament’s earliest setbacks for the Black Stars.
