Ghana’s Black Challenge are chasing a historic first amputee football World Cup title in Mexico next month, with head coach Stephen Richard Obeng warning that the reigning African champions must treat every match as a final if they are to conquer the global stage.
The stakes are high from the opening round. Ghana have been drawn in Group D alongside former world champions Angola, Colombia and Iraq for the 24-nation competition in San Juan de los Lagos from November 13 to 22.
Angola, crowned world champions in 2018 and runners-up four years later, represent an immediate measure of the standard Ghana must reach.
The Black Challenge have dominated continental competition, but Coach Obeng knows that African supremacy guarantees nothing against the world’s elite.
Speaking at last Thursday’s public training session in Accra, attended by National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Ghana President, Samson Deen, the coach made clear that his side would travel to Mexico with ambitions far greater than simply making up the numbers.
“Winning the World Cup is something every coach would desire to have,” he said, insisting that Ghana’s recent successes had raised expectations and placed the responsibility on his players to deliver on a bigger stage.
“We have to tell the world that we are not just dominating in Africa. Going into the World Cup, everybody expects a continental champion to perform.”
The challenge now is to turn that confidence into results. Against opponents with contrasting styles and international pedigree, every lapse in concentration, moment of poor organisation or missed opportunity could prove costly.
Obeng, who has played and coached at club level in Türkiye, is placing particular emphasis on physical conditioning, tactical discipline and the international experience accumulated by members of his squad abroad.
He believes the overseas-based professionals can offer valuable insight into the demands of elite competition, while the training camp provides an opportunity to bring locally based players and foreign-based stars into one cohesive unit.
Ghana initially assembled a 20-man provisional squad for preparations, with 15 players earmarked for the final travelling party.
The players began camping in Accra last month, giving the technical team time to assess combinations, sharpen fitness levels and develop the tactical understanding required against world-class opposition.
They carry a formidable record into the tournament. The Black Challenge won the African amputee football title in Tanzania in 2021, added gold at the inaugural African Para Games in Accra in 2023 and retained their continental crown at the 2024 African Amputee Football Cup of Nations in Cairo.
That latest triumph came through a 2-1 victory over Morocco in the final and secured their qualification for Mexico. Yet, it is precisely because Ghana have established themselves among Africa’s leading teams that expectations are now shifting from regional dominance to world honours.
Captain Richard Arthur Opentil appealed for the nation to stand behind the squad as it attempts to take that next step.
“All we expect from Ghanaians is their support and motivation to help us deliver our best on the world stage,” he said.
Deen also praised the Ghana Football Association (GFA), its President Kurt Okraku and his administration for collaborating with the NPC in supporting the team, describing the growing institutional backing as an encouraging development.
He was emphatic about what Ghana could achieve in Mexico.
“I tell you that we’ll win the World Cup, God is on our side and we have the best team in the world. We’ll do whatever we need to do well to go there and win,” Deen declared.
