Ghana’s Black Stars will face England, Croatia and Panama in the group stage of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The four-time African champions open their campaign against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, in Dallas, USA. The tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, kicks off on June 11 and culminates with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 26.
This edition of the World Cup marks a historic expansion from 32 to 48 teams, organized into 12 groups of four. An additional 22 nations will contest playoffs in March to determine the final six qualifiers. In total, 104 matches will be played across 16 venues in North America, up from 64 in previous tournaments.
Seventy-eight games will be staged in 11 NFL stadiums in the United States, including all fixtures from the quarterfinals onward. Mexico and Canada will each host 13 matches. The final will also feature the first-ever World Cup halftime show.
Under the new format, the 12 group winners, runners-up, and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to a newly introduced round of 32. The eventual champions will play eight matches in total.
Reacting to the draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Ghana coach Otto Addo expressed confidence in his team’s chances.
“once we get a good start, anything is possible. On a good day, I know we can beat anyone. But I also know that we can lose against all of those teams, including Panama.” Addo told TV3
Ghana will be looking to make a strong impression against 1966 World Cup winners England, 2018 finalists Croatia, and debutants Panama, as they aim to progress deep into the tournament.
