Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered a significant setback after Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz confirmed that experienced defender Alexander Djiku will miss the tournament through injury.
The centre-back picked up a knock while playing for Spartak Moscow in the Russian Cup final and was forced off in the first half. Initial assessments had raised hopes that the injury would not be serious, but further examinations have now confirmed the worst-case scenario, ruling him out of the global showpiece.
The news comes as a major disappointment for both the player and the national team, with Djiku having been one of Ghana’s most dependable performers throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at the Cardiff City Stadium ahead of Ghana’s international friendly against Wales, Queiroz revealed that the technical team had hoped for better news regarding the defender’s condition.
“I was very confident the message about Djiku’s injury would be positive but the game has surprises sometimes and we had to make the decision to replace him.”
The Portuguese coach also expressed confidence in the commitment of the players available for selection as Ghana continues its final preparations for the tournament.
“It is a message of hope and confidence that being with them not for so many months, but the training sessions that I did with them, all of them, are fully committed to deliver to the nation, to the flag. So I’m very much confident that the message will be positive tomorrow.”
Luckassen Called Up
In response to Djiku’s withdrawal, Pafos defender Derrick Luckassen has already been summoned to join the Black Stars camp and is expected to take the vacant spot in Ghana’s squad for the World Cup.
Luckassen was not originally included in the provisional 28-man squad but now has an opportunity to stake his claim on football’s biggest stage.
Djiku’s absence leaves a sizeable void in Ghana’s defence. The former Racing Strasbourg center back played a crucial role during the qualification campaign, featuring in all 10 matches as the Black Stars secured their place at the tournament.
He also contributed an important goal, scoring the winner in Ghana’s 1-0 victory over Mali in Accra, a result that proved pivotal in the team’s successful qualification bid.
His leadership, experience and consistency made him one of the first names on the team sheet, and his loss is further compounded by the continued absence of AS Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu, who has failed to recover in time for the competition.
With two of Ghana’s most experienced central defenders unavailable, Queiroz now faces the challenge of rebuilding his defensive setup just days before the start of the tournament.
The Black Stars will continue their preparations with a friendly match against Wales on Tuesday as they fine-tune plans for their fifth FIFA World Cup appearance.
Ghana will begin their Group Stage campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto before taking on England six days later. The Black Stars will then conclude their group fixtures against Croatia in what is expected to be a crucial encounter.
Despite the setback, Queiroz remains optimistic that his squad can rise to the occasion and make the nation proud when the tournament gets underway. Ghana will be hoping the remaining members of the squad can stay fit and deliver a strong performance on football’s biggest stage.
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