Desmond Ofei names Black Meteors squad for U-23 AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign

Ghana head coach Desmond Ofei has named a 26-man squad for the Black Meteors’ preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2027 qualifiers.

The selected players are expected to report to the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, as Ghana begins preparations for the qualifying campaign.

The Black Meteors will use the initial camp to intensify their preparations and are expected to play a series of friendly matches as Ofei assesses his squad ahead of the qualifiers.

The team is scheduled to remain in camp until the start of the qualifying campaign in November, although players could be temporarily released to their clubs to fulfil domestic or continental commitments before returning to the national team.

Ghana have received a bye into the second qualifying round and will face either Togo or Libya.

The first leg of the second-round tie is scheduled for 9 November 2026, with the return leg set for 17 November.

If Ghana overcome their second-round opponents, they will progress to the final qualifying round, where they will meet the winner of the tie involving São Tomé and Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea and Niger.

The final round of qualifying is scheduled to take place between 22 and 30 March 2027.

The three-round qualification process will determine the seven teams that join hosts Egypt at the eight-team U-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

For Ghana, qualification carries added significance as it could provide the Black Meteors with a route back to the Olympic Games.

The Black Meteors have not featured at the men’s Olympic football tournament since the 2004 Athens Games, meaning a successful qualification campaign would end a more than two-decade wait for an Olympic appearance.

Ofei’s preparations will therefore be closely followed as Ghana seeks to build a squad capable of navigating the qualifying rounds and securing a place at the 2027 U-23 AFCON finals.

The tournament in Egypt will also serve as the pathway for African nations seeking qualification for the men’s football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games.

Squad below: