{
  "id": 10052944,
  "title": "Desmond Ofei names Black Meteors squad for U-23 AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/desmond-ofei-names-black-meteors-squad-for-u-23-afcon-2027-qualifying",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-26T19:51:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/desmond-ofei-names-black-meteors-squad-for-u-23-afcon-2027-qualifying-campaign/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ghana coach Desmond Ofei has announced a 26-man squad for the Black Meteors' preparations in the upcoming CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers scheduled for Egypt in 2027. The players are expected to arrive at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Tuesday, 29th September 2026, where they will commence their intensive training leading up to the qualifiers. The squad will engage in friendly matches during their camp to assess their performance and form before the official qualifiers commence in November. Ghana has been granted a direct entry into the second qualifying round, where they will either face Togo or Libya in the first leg on 9th November 2026 and the return leg on 17th November. Qualification success will propel them to the final round of the qualifiers, which will be held between the 22nd and 30th of March 2027, where they will meet the winner of the tie involving São Tomé and Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea, and Niger. The final round will determine the seven teams that will join hosts Egypt in the eight-team U-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals. Achieving qualification for Ghana is particularly significant as it could provide the Black Meteors with a pathway back to the Olympic Games, a tournament they haven't participated in since the 2004 Athens Games. This two-decade wait for an Olympic appearance makes a successful qualification campaign highly crucial for Ghana, as it would not only end their Olympic drought but also serve as a pathway for African nations to qualify for the men's football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games.",
  "summary": "Ghana head coach Desmond Ofei has named a 26-man squad for the Black Meteors’ preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2027 qualifiers. The selected players are expected to report to the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, as Ghana begins preparations for the qualifying […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Ghana coach Desmond Ofei names 26-man Black Meteors squad.",
    "Squad to train at Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.",
    "Qualification campaign crucial for Ghana's Olympic hopes."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}