Ghana has once again qualified for the FIFA World Cup, and along with other African teams, will be part of the historic 2026 tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. For the first time in history, 48 teams will participate in the World Cup, instead of the previous 32. In addition to Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Ivory Coast, and Cape Verde have also qualified from Africa. The Democratic Republic of Congo will also play in the intercontinental playoff.

Football holds an extraordinary place in Ghana. It is not just a sport, but a national passion that unites people across society. As Bright Blewu pointed out, when the Black Stars play in the World Cup, the country experiences a period of intense emotions, prayers, euphoria, and disappointment. Political disputes are temporarily put aside, and the entire country rallies around the national team.

The atmosphere leading up to the tournament is already palpable everywhere. People are buying new televisions, jerseys of the national team are selling out quickly, and discussions about the team's lineup, tactics, and the players' form are filling homes, workplaces, markets, and public transportation.

In Ghana, it is often said that during the World Cup, the entire country becomes one nation, with 32 million coaches. However, this excitement is also accompanied by criticism. The Ghana Football Association recently parted ways with coach Otto Addo, despite his success in leading the team to the World Cup. Some fans and experts believe he needed more time, as building a strong team is a long-term process. Others, on the other hand, pointed out that the team's performances in recent matches were not convincing.

Football enthusiast Emmanuel Larbi Amoah believes that the change of coach shortly before the tournament cannot fundamentally change the team's fate. He argues that Ghana needs a deeper reform of football development, with more emphasis on technique, tactics, and systematic work with players from youth categories. Relying solely on natural talent is not enough.

Henry Asante Twum, Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association, reminded that nothing is certain in football. Even big teams with star players can fail at the World Cup. The new coach, Carlos Queiroz, brings immense experience from both national teams and clubs, but the results must be proven on the field.

Ghana will enter the tournament with a match against Panama on June 17th. Expectations are not overly high, but this may help the Black Stars surprise their opponents and even their critics.

Fiifi Nettey, Media Consultant

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