Kudus was initially included in Carlos Queiroz’s 24-man Black Stars squad announced by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on September 18, following his return to competitive football after a seven-month injury lay-off.

However, 3Sports reports that the 26-year-old has opted out of the international assignment to continue his recovery and focus on regaining full fitness and match sharpness with Tottenham Hotspur. The decision has reportedly been communicated to the GFA and coach Carlos Queiroz.

Kudus recently returned to Premier League action after recovering from a significant quad injury suffered in January. He came on at half-time during Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday and provided an assist for Conor Gallagher’s late goal.

His latest appearance came shortly after he made his first start since January in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool.

The extended injury absence also forced Kudus to miss Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. His last appearance for the Black Stars was on October 12, 2025, when he scored the winning goal in Ghana’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Comoros.

Kudus’ withdrawal means his anticipated return to international football has been delayed as he continues his rehabilitation in England.

Ghana are scheduled to open their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24. The Black Stars will then host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29.

The team is also scheduled to travel to Morocco for an international friendly against the Atlas Lions on October 4.

As of the latest reports, the GFA had not announced a replacement for Kudus in the squad. His absence leaves Queiroz to prepare for the opening qualifiers without one of Ghana’s key attacking players.

Photo courtesy: Mohammed Kudus