Ayew and Kudus Missing from Ghana Squad as New Faces Receive First Call-Up

Ghana will be without captain Jordan Ayew and midfielder Mohammed Kudus for their upcoming international friendlies against Japan and South Korea.

Kudus, who missed Tottenham Hotspur’s last two matches, is currently recovering from an injury and will remain in England during the international break. The Ghana Football Association has not offered any official explanation for Jordan Ayew’s absence.

There is good news on the squad list, though. Czech Republic–based striker Prince Kwabena Adu has earned his first national team call-up after scoring six goals for Viktoria Plzeň this season. He is joined by two other debutants: Kelvin Nkrumah of Medeama SC — who has played in all nine Ghana Premier League games as Medeama sits second — and Prince Osei Owusu of FC Montreal, who has scored nine goals across 31 appearances.

Left-back Derrick Kohn could also make his Ghana debut after successfully completing his nationality switch through FIFA.

Coach Otto Addo will lead the team’s first training session on Wednesday in Nagoya, ahead of the opening 2025 Kirin Cup match against Japan on Friday, November 14. Ghana will then face South Korea four days later.

The fixtures serve as key preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.