Mohammed Kudus has opted out of Ghana’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, despite being named in Carlos Queiroz’s 24-man Black Stars squad. Information available is that Kudus wants to focus on completing his recovery at Tottenham Hotspur and regaining his best physical condition and form before returning to international action.
The decision comes just days after the 26-year-old made his return to Premier League football following a lengthy injury lay-off. The decision has already been communicated to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and coach Carlos Queiroz. Kudus came off the bench at half-time in Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday and immediately provided an attacking spark.
He set up Conor Gallagher for Tottenham’s first Premier League goal of the season in the 86th minute after cutting the ball back from the byline. The appearance followed his first start since January in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool earlier this week.
The Ghanaian had been sidelined for seven months after suffering a significant quad injury in January, with Tottenham confirming in April that he had suffered a setback in his recovery and required further specialist assessment. Kudus missed Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign because of the injury.
The Ghana Football Association subsequently included him in Queiroz’s latest squad after confirming that he had recovered and returned to competitive football. His last appearance for the Black Stars came on October 12, 2025, when he scored the winning goal in Ghana’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Comoros in Accra.
Ghana are scheduled to face Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24 before hosting The Gambia on September 29. The Black Stars will then face Morocco in an international friendly on October 4. Kudus’ decision means his long-awaited Black Stars return will be delayed as he continues his rehabilitation and recovery with Tottenham.
By Gifty Boateng