Ghana will play next year's Nations Cup in Mali with mainly home-based players in a bid to keep consistency in the side ahead of their next World Cup bid.

The decision is part of a new five year development programme, announced on Friday by the Ghana Football Association.

GFA chairman Ben Koufie said the aim of the programme was to see Ghana qualify for the World Cup finals in 2006.

Most of Ghana's army of foreign-based players would be left out for the Nations Cup because the core of the local squad, who will start preparations in October, will not be changed for the purpose of consistency.

Koufie said: "The national squad will basically be a home-based team with the coaches finally looking at the possibility of beefing the team up with some of the foreign-based players.

"The inclusion of foreign-based players will be on merit, nothing else."

It is possible that some of the players from the Under-20 side in Argentina will be included in the squad for Mali.

Reaction has been divided over the decision but the GFA say the aim is to kick start a long term programme and not short term successes.