John Paintsil Tips Black Stars for Deep World Cup Run in 2026
Assistant coach of the Black Stars, John Paintsil, has backed Ghana to make a strong impression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the team has what it takes to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
The four-time African champions will be making their fifth appearance at the global showpiece, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer. After disappointing group-stage exits in Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, Paintsil believes the current squad is better equipped to compete at the highest level.
“We have enough experience to be in the semi-finals or final of the 2026 World Cup,” he told 3Sports.
Ghana have been drawn in a challenging group and will open their campaign against Panama on June 17 before taking on England on June 23. Their group-stage journey will conclude with a clash against Croatia on June 27.
In preparation for the tournament, the Black Stars are scheduled to regroup in March for international friendlies against Austria and Germany, with an additional warm-up fixture against Mexico lined up ahead of the World Cup. These matches are expected to help fine-tune the squad as they aim for a historic run on the world stage.
