Ghana’s Black Challenge will enter the 2026 World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) World Cup in Mexico with a continental reputation to defend after establishing themselves among Africa’s leading amputee football nations.
The team’s qualification for the global tournament follows a period of sustained success, during which Ghana won the African amputee football championship twice and also captured gold at the inaugural African Para Games.
The Black Challenge secured their first continental title in 2021 in Tanzania, defeating Liberia 3-2 in the final.
They followed that achievement with another major triumph in 2023, winning the inaugural African Para Games in Accra after a 2-1 victory over Morocco.
Ghana retained the African amputee football crown the following year in Cairo, again beating Morocco 2-1 to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
That run of success has now placed the Black Challenge before a tougher assignment, with Ghana set to measure its continental credentials against 23 other national teams at the World Cup.
The tournament is scheduled for San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico, from November 13 to 22, 2026, with 24 countries expected to compete for the world title.
Ahead of the tournament, the national coaching staff has named a 20-man provisional squad comprising three goalkeepers and 17 outfield players, with players drawn from clubs in Ghana and Türkiye.
The goalkeepers are Razak Seidu of Asanteman AFC, Atsu Abor of Global AFC and Richmond Fosu of Talent Hour Discovery.
Asanteman AFC also provides Isaac Kwabena Eshun, Issah Jabel and Amidu Rafiu, while Gye Nyame AFC has three representatives in Timothy Hayford, Prince Nyarko and Emmanuel Osei Kwadwo. Joseph Baidoo of Our Hope AFC completes the Ghana-based contingent.
A significant number of players in the provisional squad are based in Türkiye. Sahinbey has contributed Yussif Yahaya, Richard Arthur Opentil, Mohammed Mubarik and Hamza Mohammed, while Konya has Richard Ekwam, Samson Larbi Sarfo and Fuseini Iddi.
Emmanuel Allotey of Sisli Yeditepe, together with Joseph Amoh and Collins Gyamfi, completes the provisional squad.
The provisional list is not the final World Cup squad, with the coaching staff expected to make further selections as preparations intensify.
With the Black Challenge having dominated the African scene in recent years, attention will now turn to whether the team can reproduce that level of performance against the stronger and more diverse opposition expected in Mexico.
The National Paralympic Committee has therefore appealed to the public, corporate organisations and the wider sporting community to support the team as it prepares for its global assignment.
The World Cup will provide Ghana with an opportunity to build on its recent continental achievements and test the depth, quality and competitiveness of its amputee football programme on the international stage.
