Black Meteors head coach Desmond Ofei has selected a 32-man squad to start Ghana’s preparations for their CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Libya.
The squad is due to report to the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Monday, October 12, as Ghana begin preparations for the two-legged contest during the November 9–17 international window.
Six players based outside Ghana are also expected to join the group before the qualifiers. The technical team plans to reduce the size of the squad as the training programme develops.
Locally based players are expected to stay in camp until the two matches have been completed. However, their clubs may seek temporary releases so they can represent their teams in domestic league fixtures.
Ghana will travel to Libya for the first leg, with the return match scheduled to take place in Ghana. The Black Meteors must win the tie on aggregate to reach the final qualifying round.
If they progress, Ghana will face either Equatorial Guinea or Niger for a place at the finals.
The qualifying competition will produce the seven teams that join hosts Egypt at the eight-team U-23 AFCON finals. That tournament will also determine Africa’s representatives at the men’s football tournament at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Ghana have not appeared in the men’s Olympic football tournament since the 2004 Games in Athens. Ofei’s side will therefore be seeking to negotiate the qualifying rounds successfully and bring an end to that long absence.
The opening tie in Libya will be the first major test of the Black Meteors’ campaign, with the aggregate result deciding whether they remain in contention for a place in the final qualifying round and the U-23 AFCON finals.
