As the Black Stars get ready to play Madagascar in a pivotal FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match on Monday, coach Otto Addo of Ghana has underlined the importance of maintaining unbroken focus and warned against complacency.
Following their victory against Chad, which placed Ghana at the top of Group I, Addo recognizes that a win against Madagascar could create a significant five-point lead. However, he stressed that now is not the time for the team to relax.
According to the Ghana FA, he said, “It’s very, very important that we stay focused until we’ve made the job, and now it’s the whole focus about Madagascar.” “This is what we are aiming for; we really, really want to win this game and keep a clean sheet.” Additionally, Addo underlined that past performance does not necessarily portend future outcomes, stating, “We could have won ten games and still want to win the eleventh.” Although statistics are useful, they cannot predict whether you will win or lose the following game.
Despite Ghana’s impressive offensive record of 11 goals in their last three matches, Addo acknowledged ongoing concerns about defensive lapses. “Football is a sport of mistakes, and who does more will lose. It’s very, very important that we have a positive mindset if we make a mistake,” he said. Reflecting on the win against Chad, Addo expressed satisfaction: “Everybody knew what this game was about, and I’m very, very happy that we used our chances especially in the first half, because this made the game easier in the second half.”
He’s now focused on maintaining the team’s momentum: “Nobody should take it easy, nobody should start thinking already about the World Cup because we need to take it step by step.”
2026 FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup 2026, marketed as FIFA World Cup 26, will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men’s soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The majority of matches will be held in the United States, with Canada and Mexico hosting selected matches. This will be the first World Cup hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994. The United 2026 bid prevailed over a rival bid by Morocco during a final vote at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. This will be the first World Cup since 2002 to be hosted by more than one nation.
With its past hosting of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, Mexico will become the first country to host or co-host the men’s World Cup three times. The United States last hosted the men’s World Cup in 1994, whereas it will be Canada’s first time hosting or co-hosting the men’s tournament. The event will also return to its traditional northern summer schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was held in November and December.
The competition will also occur during the United States semiquincentennial birthday. Argentina is the defending champion, having won its third title in 2022.
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