Timing Trouble: Why Mexico friendly threatens Ghana’s World Cup readiness

The Ghana Football Association’s announcement of a pre-World Cup friendly against Mexico in May should have been reassuring news. On the surface, it signals ambition, a chance for the Black Stars to test themselves against one of the tournament’s co-hosts. However, the timing of the fixture has sparked genuine concern.

Ghana are already scheduled to face Austria and Germany in March as part of preparations for the FIFA World Cup in June. However, the newly announced clash against Mexico is set for May 22, a date that falls outside the FIFA international window. That detail cannot be ignored.

The rest and release period for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will begin on Monday, 25 May 2026, with exceptions for players involved in the final matches of confederation club tournaments, as approved by FIFA, up to and including 30 May 2026.

Playing outside the FIFA calendar means clubs are under no obligation to release their players. In practical terms, Ghana could head into what is supposed to be a crucial World Cup tune-up without several key members of the squad. With most major European leagues still in season by May 22, the risk of losing important players is not hypothetical; it is very real.

After missing out on AFCON in Morocco, a major opportunity to fine-tune the team in competitive conditions, these friendlies are no longer just routine exhibitions. They represent the only meaningful platform for head coach Otto Addo to refine tactics, test combinations, and build chemistry ahead of the World Cup. That makes the possibility of an incomplete squad even more troubling.

With just weeks to the tournament, friendlies of this magnitude should be used to solidify plans with the core group expected to board the plane, not to stage another round of auditions.

Last year’s Unity Cup in London offers a cautionary example. Ghana were without regulars such as Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, Antoine Semenyo and Alexander Djiku. Eleven players who featured in that mini tournament did not return for the next four competitive fixtures, raising serious questions about the long-term value of the exercise. In fact, only one of those absentees eventually reappeared during the friendlies against South Korea and Japan in November 2025.

On paper, the Black Stars have lined up high-quality opposition in the build-up to the World Cup. In reality, constant squad changes, whether due to poor fixture planning or player unavailability, have made it difficult to assess how beneficial these games truly are.

The situation is already complicated by injury concerns. Mohammed Kudus is set to miss the March friendlies against Austria and Germany, and there is a strong possibility he will also be unavailable for the Mexico clash, with Tottenham Hotspur scheduled to play during that same week. If that happens, a player almost certain to start all three group matches at the World Cup could miss the last five high-profile preparatory games.

Yes, Ghana are not the only nation arranging friendlies during unconventional windows. But Ghana’s context is different. Having missed AFCON and with limited opportunities left to prepare, every match carries extra weight. That is why the planning must be precise, and why the Mexico fixture, as currently scheduled, raises more questions than confidence.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.