Kudus: Black Stars Ready for England Test at 2026 World Cup

Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus says the Black Stars will be fully prepared for their heavyweight showdown with England after Ghana was drawn into one of the most competitive groups of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana, four-time African champions, were placed in Group L during Friday’s draw in Washington, D.C., where they will face England, 2022 World Cup semifinalists Croatia, and Panama. The lineup has already been widely described by analysts as one of the tournament’s toughest.

Kudus, who was instrumental throughout Ghana’s qualification campaign, believes the team’s presence at the expanded 48-nation tournament is proof of its quality and determination.

“To qualify for the World Cup alone is a big statement from us, and it shows what we can do,” he said as he reacted to the draw.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward, regarded as one of Ghana’s most influential players, said the challenge ahead is one the team welcomes with confidence.

“It’ll be interesting. I’m looking forward to it. We are very much aware of the sides we will be facing. We will definitely be up for it, and we will be ready,” he noted

Ghana will be targeting a return to the knockout stage for the first time since 2010, when the Black Stars famously reached the quarter-finals in South Africa. Their last two World Cup appearances, in 2014 and 2022, ended at the group stage.

The Ghana Football Association is expected to roll out an intensive preparation program ahead of the tournament, including international friendlies and extended training camps. With the tournament kicking off in June 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Kudus says the goal is clear: to show that Ghana can compete with the very best.

The Black Stars will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against Panama before facing England and later Croatia in what promises to be one of the most closely watched groups of the competition.