Head coach Otto Addo is set to leave out veteran forward Andre Ayew from Ghana national football team’s squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Austria national football team and Germany national football team, according to multiple media reports.
The 36-year-old recently returned to competitive football after a six-month absence following his departure from Le Havre AC. The experienced attacker has since joined Dutch side NAC Breda on a free transfer as the club battles to avoid relegation.
Since arriving in the Netherlands, Ayew has made 10 appearances and scored once, prompting renewed calls from sections of fans and pundits for his return to the national team setup.
The former captain last featured for Ghana at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where the Black Stars suffered a disappointing group-stage exit.
Despite public appeals for his recall, Addo and his technical team appear to have decided against including the veteran forward, with the final squad for the March friendlies expected to be announced later this week.
Ghana will first face Austria at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna on Friday, March 27, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 17:00 GMT. The team will then travel to Stuttgart to take on Germany—winners of the 2014 FIFA World Cup—on Monday, March 30.
The matches form part of Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
As part of their buildup to the global tournament, the Black Stars are also scheduled to play friendly matches against Mexico national football team in May and Wales national football team on June 2.
Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama national football team, England national football team and Croatia national football team. The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on June 17, face England on June 23, and conclude the group stage against Croatia on June 27.
After suffering group-stage exits at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ghana will be aiming for a much stronger showing when the tournament kicks off on North American soil.