Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku is confident the Black Stars can hold their own against Côte d’Ivoire when the two sides meet in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers next month.
The four-time African champions will travel to the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on 24 September 2026 to face the Ivorians in a highly anticipated Group C encounter, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT.
Speaking to 3Sports, Okraku described Côte d’Ivoire as a strong opponent but expressed belief that Ghana’s recent performances have shown clear signs of progress.
“They are a very good team. I think that it will be a very interesting game,” he said.
The GFA president highlighted Ghana’s display at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as evidence that the national team is moving in the right direction, praising the side’s organisation and competitiveness on the global stage.
“What I also know is that Ghana showed a lot of organisation in the last World Cup, and showed that we are improving and we showed that we can compete at the highest level,” Okraku stated.
He also pointed to Ghana’s rise in the rankings during the tournament, noting that the Black Stars exceeded expectations after entering the competition as the lowest-ranked team.
“I am reminded again that going into the World Cup as the least-ranked team, we came up as the 24th-ranked team, and that should tell you that Ghana has made progress at the Mundial,” he added.
Okraku further believes the team has overcome the mentality that previously affected results, insisting the players now possess greater confidence and resilience.
“That psychological block of losing games, I think, doesn’t exist anymore within this team,” he said.
The GFA chief is optimistic the Black Stars will approach the fixture with belief and determination as they seek a positive start to their qualifying campaign.
“We will go to Côte d’Ivoire with youthful confidence, and we will be competitive,” Okraku concluded.
Ghana have been drawn in Group C of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia and The Gambia as they aim to secure a place at the continental tournament.
Source | Ghanasoccernet
