Kudus sits out Black Stars' first two AFCON qualifiers, facing Côte d'Ivoire then The Gambia

Pinned summary · as of 05:48

Mohammed Kudus will not play in Ghana's opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, even though coach Carlos Queiroz had picked him for the 24-man group. The 26-year-old Tottenham Hotspur player had only just resumed club football after months on the sidelines, and Ghana face Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia before a friendly in Morocco.

What we know

• Reports from The Press Radio and Nkonkonsa say Kudus has opted out of Ghana's two opening qualifiers, away to Côte d'Ivoire and at home to The Gambia, despite being on Queiroz's 24-man list.
• The Ghana Football Association had said Kudus was fit again and back in competitive action when he was selected. His previous Ghana appearance came in October 2025, when his strike decided a 1-0 home win against Comoros in World Cup qualifying.
• The Press Radio and Nkonkonsa both report that his reason is to complete his rehabilitation at Tottenham and reach peak physical condition before returning to national duty, and that his choice has reportedly been relayed to the GFA and Queiroz.
• Injury already ruled Kudus out of Ghana's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
• He made his Premier League return as a second-half replacement in Tottenham's 3-2 loss to Aston Villa, and he supplied the pass for Conor Gallagher's goal. Nkonkonsa and Graphic Online describe it as Tottenham's first league goal of the season.
• Ghana were due in Bouaké to meet Côte d'Ivoire on 24 September, then to host The Gambia on 29 September, before travelling to face Morocco in a friendly on 4 October.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Accounts differ on how long Kudus was out. Nkonkonsa reports about seven months after a quad injury in January, while Graphic Online says six months with a quad tendon problem.
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  Sources name different Tottenham bosses. The Press Radio says Thomas Frank brought Kudus on against Aston Villa, but The Custodian quotes Roberto De Zerbi as Tottenham head coach saying Kudus was still building match sharpness.
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  The Custodian suggests the pull-out seems tied to his continuing push to regain full match fitness; that is its own reading and no official reason has been given.
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  Nkonkonsa reports that Derby County forward Mohammed Fuseini received a late call-up as the replacement and is back in the national set-up following an absence of over twelve months; no other report has confirmed this.
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  The Press Radio reported that a second-half effort by Kudus against Aston Villa was disallowed for offside; this has not been confirmed elsewhere.
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  Graphic Online quoted former Tottenham scout Bryan King as saying Manchester United came close to signing Kudus around 2017 and that Tottenham seemed to pull back. King also said the player could have cost about £7 million, and questioned the £55 million Tottenham later paid West Ham United. These are his views alone.

Why it matters for Ghana

Kudus is among the most recognisable names in the Black Stars, so supporters in Accra, Kumasi and beyond will miss him at the start of the qualifying race. His absence puts more weight on the rest of Queiroz's attack, and on any late replacement, in the opening away and home fixtures. It also shows the tension between club and country when a player comes back from a long injury.