Former Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), George Afriyie, has expressed optimism that the Black Stars will beat Panama in their opening game of the 2026 World Cup.

Ghana will open their campaign at the Mundial this summer against the Central American side on June 17, before a clash with England on June 23, and finish their Group L games against Croatia on June 27.

Speaking to Graphic Sports, Afriyie emphatically reiterated that the Black Stars will need to kick-start their tournament on a good note by beating Panama.

“I expect us to beat Panama. The first match is very important and, among our group opponents, trust me, our best bet is against Panama," he said.

“We all know England and Croatia are ahead of us in terms of FIFA rankings, but national team football is quite tricky," Afriyie added.

As part of their build-up, the Black Stars will face Austria and Germany later in March 2026, before matches against Mexico in May and Wales on June 2, 2026.

After group-stage exits in both 2014 and 2022, the Black Stars are determined to deliver a stronger, more competitive performance on North American soil.