’25 PLAYERS ARE READY TO PLAY AGAINST COLOMBIA’ — Black Stars Coach, Carlos Queiroz

Ghana has received a major fitness boost ahead of their highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash against Colombia, with head coach Carlos Queiroz confirming that 25 of his 26 players are fully fit and available for selection.

The Black Stars enter Saturday’s knockout encounter in a confident mood after an impressive group-stage campaign, and the latest update from the team’s medical staff has further strengthened hopes of a positive result.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Queiroz revealed that only one player will be unavailable for the crucial fixture.

“With regard to injury, 25 players are ready to play against Colombia. The only player who did not recover on time for the game is Kojo Oppong Peprah,” the Ghana coach said.

The only absentee is OGC Nice defender Kojo Peprah Oppong, who has been ruled out after failing to recover from a knock sustained during training.

The 22-year-old featured in Ghana’s group-stage matches against England and Croatia and had provided valuable defensive depth with his pace, composure and ability to recover possession.

Although his absence is a setback, it does little to dampen the mood within the Black Stars camp. Having 25 players available gives Queiroz the freedom to select his strongest possible lineup while maintaining quality options on the bench for what is expected to be a physically demanding contest.

The stage is now set for a fascinating battle, with the Black Stars carrying both momentum and a near fully fit squad into one of the biggest matches of their World Cup campaign.