2026 FIFA World Cup: John Paintsil confident ahead of Black Stars’ World Cup Qualifiers

Black Stars assistant coach John Paintsil has expressed confidence in Ghana’s chances ahead of their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali next month.

After recording back-to-back wins in March, the senior national team will be aiming to extend their good run in the Matchday 7 and 8 fixtures of the qualifiers.

Speaking to Asempa FM, Paintsil insisted the team is fully prepared but urged Ghanaians to throw their weight behind the players.

“We are ready for the task ahead, but I will call on Ghanaians to support the team ahead of these two games,” he said.

“I hope our players will be injury-free for these games because we need them for the rest of the campaign. We are confident, but we also expect a tough challenge, and with the right support from Ghanaians, I know that we will achieve our objective.”

Paintsil himself being a part of the Black Stars team that qualified Ghana to its maiden World Cup appearance in the 2006 edition as well as the 2010 edition in South Africa as a player, will look to qualify the country to the global showpiece again now as an assistant coach to his former teammate at the 2006 edition, Otto Addo.

The Black Stars will take on Chad on Thursday, September 4, at the Stade Olympique in N’Djamena, before returning home to host Mali on Monday, September 8, at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana currently top Group I after six matches as they chase a historic fifth FIFA World Cup appearance. The squad will open camp in Accra on September 1.