{
  "id": 8707353,
  "title": "Mohammed Kudus drops out of Ghana squad for AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/mohammed-kudus-drops-out-of-ghana-squad-for-afcon-2027-qualifiers",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T14:21:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/mohammed-kudus-drops-out-of-ghana-squad-for-afcon-2027-and-qualifiers-against-cote-divoire-and-gambia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mohammed Kudus has withdrawn from Ghana's upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia, opting to prioritize his recovery at Tottenham Hotspur. Kudus, who was part of Carlos Queiroz's 24-man Black Stars squad, aims to regain his peak physical condition before resuming international play. This decision follows Kudus's recent return to Premier League action after a lengthy injury absence. He recently came off the bench at half-time in Tottenham's 3-2 loss to Aston Villa, contributing an attacking spark by setting up Conor Gallagher's first Premier League goal of the season. Kudus had been sidelined since January due to a significant quad injury, missing Ghana's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Despite initially being included in the latest squad by the Ghana Football Association, Kudus's withdrawal means his return to the Black Stars will be postponed as he continues his rehabilitation with Tottenham. Ghana is set to face Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24 and host The Gambia on September 29, followed by an international friendly against Morocco on October 4.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [
    "Mohammed Kudus withdraws from Ghana squad for AFCON qualifiers.",
    "Prioritizes recovery at Tottenham Hotspur after quad injury.",
    "Last played for Ghana in 2026 World Cup qualifiers."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "2027 AFCONQ: Mohammed Kudus withdraws from Black Stars squad for Ivory Coast and Gambia games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/2027-afconq-mohammed-kudus-withdraws-from-black-stars-squad-for-ivory",
        "published": "2026-09-20T14:07:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Trust",
        "title": "Osimhen ruled out of AFCON Qualifiers due to injury",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/osimhen-ruled-out-of-afcon-qualifiers-due-to-injury",
        "published": "2026-09-20T14:25:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}