Black Stars to face England, Croatia and Panama at 2026 World Cup

Ghana’s Black Stars have been drawn against England, Croatia and Panama in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, with the match set to be played in Dallas, United States.

The tournament will kick off on June 11 and is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the final scheduled for July 26 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The 2026 World Cup has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four. A further 22 countries will compete in playoff matches in March to determine the final six qualification spots.

Running from June 11 to July 19, the competition will be staged across 16 venues in North America, with the total number of matches increased from 64 to 104. The United States will host 78 games across 11 NFL stadiums, including all fixtures from the quarter-final stage, while Mexico and Canada will each stage 13 matches.

Under the new format, the 12 group winners, 12 runners-up and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to a newly introduced round of 32. The eventual champions will be required to play eight matches to lift the trophy, with the final also featuring a World Cup halftime show for the first time.