Kudus scores as Ghana seal World Cup qualification with victory over Comoros
Mohammed Kudus scored the goal that secured Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup as the Black Stars defeated Comoros 1-0 in Accra on Sunday night.
The Tottenham midfielder struck two minutes after the interval, firing home after Thomas Partey’s initial shot, to confirm what had seemed inevitable before kick-off – Ghana’s return to the global stage.
Otto Addo’s side entered the final Group I fixture with qualification all but secured, holding a comfortable six-point cushion over second-placed Madagascar with a significantly superior goal difference that would have been virtually impossible for their closest rivals to overturn.
Even a draw would have been sufficient for the Black Stars, but Kudus ensured there would be no last-minute drama with his close-range finish to seal top spot in the group with 25 points from 10 matches.
Ghana join Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia as the fifth African nation to book their place at the expanded 48-team tournament across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
A sell-out crowd at the Accra Sports Stadium witnessed a dominant first-half display from the hosts, though their patient build-up play lacked the cutting edge to trouble Comoros goalkeeper Adel Anzimati-Aboudou.
The Black Stars showed greater urgency after the restart and were quickly rewarded. Arsenal midfielder Partey unleashed a shot that fell invitingly for Kudus, who slammed the ball into the net to spark jubilant celebrations amongst the home supporters.
The result provided Ghana with a measure of revenge against Comoros, who had stunned the Black Stars by knocking them out in the second round of qualifying for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.
Madagascar’s hopes of overhauling Ghana evaporated in Bamako, where they suffered a 4-1 defeat to third-placed Mali, finishing the campaign on 19 points.
Ghana’s qualification represents a stunning redemption story following the turmoil of late 2024. The Black Stars suffered the ignominy of failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 21 years, finishing rock bottom of their group with just three points from six winless matches against Angola, Sudan and Niger.
The abysmal Afcon qualifying campaign sparked widespread demands for Addo’s dismissal, with supporters and media united in calling for a change in leadership. However, Ghanaian football officials stood by their coach, and that loyalty has now been rewarded as the Black Stars return to the World Cup stage.
Ghana, four-time African champions between 1963 and 1982, will make their fifth appearance at a World Cup finals. Their most memorable campaign came in South Africa in 2010, when they reached the quarter-finals before losing a penalty shootout to Uruguay following Luis Suarez’s infamous handball on the goal-line.
The Black Stars previously competed at the 2006, 2014 and 2022 World Cups.
Four more African nations will secure their places at the 2026 tournament when the remaining group winners are confirmed on Monday and Tuesday. Benin, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast and Senegal currently lead their respective groups heading into the final round of matches.
