2026 World Cup: Don't create distraction by inviting unfamiliar players - Black Stars coach Otto Addo cautioned
Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has urged Black Stars head coach Otto Addo to avoid introducing unfamiliar players into his squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana’s qualification for the tournament has sparked renewed interest from several Ghanaian-born players in the diaspora who are considering switching their international allegiance to represent the West African nation.
Among the names frequently mentioned by supporters are England-born forwards Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah, with many calling for their inclusion in the final squad for the competition to be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, Kingston—currently head coach of the Uganda junior national teams—believes introducing new faces so close to a major tournament could disrupt team cohesion. He insists Addo should rely on players he already knows and trusts.
“To avoid distractions, it will be very good to maintain players that the coach already knows rather than bring in new players so close to a major tournament,” he told Graphic Sports.
The former winger stressed that national team selection should be based on familiarity and trust rather than sentiment. According to him, relying on players the coach has not worked with extensively can create uncertainty within the team.
"Fielding players that you don’t know tends to be torture because you are not sure what the player can do, and the player may also not know what you expect from him," he said.
“So it’s very tough. Yes, they are Ghanaians, but we have to look at the contributions to the qualification. It’s always good to have a group of players that you believe in, monitor their progress, ensure they are getting minutes at their clubs and hitting top form when they come into the national team,” Kingston added.
Ghana, who will be making their fifth appearance at the global showpiece, have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia.
Ghana will open their campaign against Panama on June 17 before facing England on June 23. Their final group match will be against Croatia on June 27.
As part of preparations for the tournament, the Black Stars are scheduled to regroup in March for international friendlies against Austria and Germany, before taking on Mexico in May.
The team will set up camp at Bryant University in the United States for the duration of the tournament.
After group-stage exits at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ghana will be aiming to make a stronger impact when the tournament kicks off in North America this summer.