John Paintsil Backs Black Stars to Shine in World Cup
Black Stars assistant coach John Paintsil has expressed strong optimism after Ghana were placed in Group L for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following Friday’s draw in Washington, DC. The four-time African champions will square off against England, Croatia and Panama in what promises to be one of the tournament’s closely watched groups.
Ghana have fallen short in their last two World Cup campaigns, exiting at the group stage both times. However, Paintsil believes the 2026 edition presents a fresh platform for the team to assert themselves on the global stage.
“It was a long waiting. Everyone is happy now, myself I am happy for the group that we find ourselves in. It is a group that is a very good group. A group that will bring the best out of the team and the entire country. We are going to be where we are going to have more supporters coming to support the team and that is the most important thing,” he told Sahara Football.
The former national team defender went even further, stating confidently: “I believe we can dominate this tournament.”
Paintsil also highlighted Ghana’s accumulated experience at major tournaments as a critical advantage heading into the group phase.
“We can say much about our chances but we believe that we have more experience when it comes to such tournaments. We believe we will come out of the group stage and then we look forward for the next because we have to take it one at a time and the most important thing is to qualify from the group,” he added.
With anticipation rising among fans and the technical team alike, the Black Stars will now begin mapping out their preparations for a World Cup group that Paintsil believes can bring out Ghana’s very best.
