2026 World Cup: Black Stars call-ups should be based on merit, not quotas – Otto Addo
A fresh debate is emerging following Ghana’s fifth World Cup qualification, with a key focus on the Black Stars replicating their 2010 success.
Calls are growing for local league players to be given more opportunities in the senior male national team. Black Stars coach Otto Addo is the latest to weigh in on the debate over whether selections should be merit-based or quota-driven.
Otto Addo has dismissed calls for a quota system favouring home-based players in Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that selection will be based solely on merit and performance.
His remarks come amid growing appeals from some football administrators, including Great Olympics General Manager Eric Alagidede, for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to include more locally based players in the national team to ensure local clubs benefit from FIFA’s USD355 million Club Benefits Programme.
Speaking after Ghana sealed qualification for the global tournament, Addo emphasised that his focus remains on assembling the strongest possible squad, regardless of where players ply their trade.
He maintained that the national team must prioritise quality and competition rather than geographical considerations.
“I don’t think we should look at who is local and who is not. We have to look at performance. We have to look at the best players. The higher the quality of the group, the more the players push each other,” Addo said.
Currently, only Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare and Medeama striker Prince Owusu represent the local league in Ghana’s senior national team setup.
