Ghana defender Jerome Opoku has revealed that the pain of missing out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is driving the Black Stars’ renewed determination to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The four-time African champions endured a shocking AFCON qualification campaign, finishing bottom of their group with just three points from six matches—marking one of the nation’s lowest moments in recent memory.

However, the Black Stars have bounced back strongly in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, recording back-to-back wins against Chad and Madagascar in Matchdays 5 and 6. The victories have pushed Ghana to the top of Group I with 15 points, reigniting hopes of returning to football’s biggest stage.

Speaking to Sportsblog247.com, Opoku admitted the AFCON disappointment has served as a powerful motivator.

“We have much bigger motivation now,” he said. “Missing out on the AFCON was a huge disappointment for us, the fans, and the entire nation. That setback has given us a deeper hunger to make things right by qualifying for the World Cup.”

Opoku, who delivered a strong performance in Ghana’s dominant display against Madagascar, says the team is now laser-focused on completing the job.

“I am 200% confident of qualifying,” he said boldly. “That’s the goal, and we know it won’t come easy. But we’ve regrouped, and we’re determined to give everything to stay on top and get the job done.”

Ghana will continue their qualification journey in September when they face Chad and Mali in Matchdays 7 and 8, before wrapping up the campaign with fixtures against Central African Republic and Comoros.