Ghana's preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have taken a significant hit after Mohamed Kudus was omitted from Carlos Queiroz's preliminary 28-man squad due to injury, according to beIN Sports.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward, who has scored 13 goals in 46 international appearances for the Black Stars, sustained a quad injury in January and had been expected to return to fitness in March. However, a setback in his recovery has kept him sidelined, and he has not featured for Spurs since Thomas Frank was in charge of the club.

Kudus joined Tottenham Hotspur from West Ham United in the off-season and has made 19 Premier League appearances this campaign, contributing 2 goals. At 25, he represents one of Ghana's most potent attacking threats, making his absence a considerable loss for Queiroz ahead of next month's tournament.

Queiroz turns to Semenyo and Williams

With Kudus unavailable, veteran coach Queiroz will lean on Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo and Athletic Club forward Inaki Williams to provide firepower in attack.

There is also a notable return in the squad: Abdul Rahman Baba, the former Chelsea defender now at PAOK, has been recalled to the national setup for the first time since 2023.

Ghana's group stage challenge

The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L for the World Cup, where they will face Croatia, England, and Panama. It is a challenging group that will demand a fully firing Ghana side — and the absence of Kudus will be felt keenly as Queiroz's men look to advance from the pool stages.