by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 24, 2026 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Highly rated Danish-born Ghanaian teenager Malik Pimpong has described the possibility of making his first-team debut for FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League as a dream come true.
The 18-year-old forward, who has been in scintillating form for Midtjylland’s U19 side, has been named in the club’s 22-man squad for Thursday night’s Europa League clash away to Norwegian outfit SK Brann at the Brann Stadion.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, Pimpong expressed gratitude for the opportunity to step up from youth football and experience life at senior level.
“It has been something completely different from playing U19 football,” he told the club’s official media. “I’m really grateful that the coaches have given me the opportunity to come along. It means a lot.”
He highlighted the sharp contrast between youth and senior football, adding: “You really have to get used to the pace when you’re a senior, and the physical side is completely different from the U19s. That’s something I’ve already taken with me.”
Despite uncertainty over minutes, the teenage attacker remains hopeful. “It would be a dream for me if I come in and make my debut,” he said. “You never know, but I hope. At least I’m ready on the bench to come in and give everything I have.”
Reflecting on his journey through the club’s academy, Pimpong described the moment as special. “It’s been a tough but incredibly good journey. FC Midtjylland has been my favourite club since I was little, so joining as a U13 player made me really happy. Now I’m facing a potential Europa League debut — it’s hard to put into words.”
Pimpong’s rise has been backed by eye-catching numbers, having scored 16 goals in 16 appearances for FC Midtjylland’s U19 team across all competitions this season.
Born in Denmark to former Ghana international Razak Pimpong, Malik remains eligible to represent Ghana at senior level, despite featuring for Denmark’s U17 and U18 national teams.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 24, 2026 | AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Soccer
Former Super Falcons striker Mercy Akide has opened up on her emotions during Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 semi-final penalty shootout defeat to Morocco, revealing she feared the worst when Samuel Chukwueze stepped up to take his spot kick.
The tense encounter in Rabat ended goalless after 90 minutes and extra time, forcing the Super Eagles and the Atlas Lions into a penalty shootout, which Morocco eventually won 4-2.
Chukwueze was introduced late in extra time, replacing Frank Onyeka, with the primary aim of strengthening Nigeria’s chances in the shootout. With the score tied at 1-1, Morocco’s Hamza Igamane had his effort saved by Stanley Nwabali, handing Nigeria a crucial advantage.
However, Chukwueze failed to capitalise, as his weakly struck penalty was comfortably saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, swinging momentum back in favour of the hosts.
Speaking on the ATHLST Podcast, Akide explained why she was uneasy even before the winger took his kick.
“Before he took the kick, I saw him,” she said. “He’s a jokester, maybe because of his age. If you look at his social media, you’ll see it. In a moment like that, with such a huge crowd, you could already see it on him before he took the penalty.”
Akide stressed that body language often reveals a player’s mindset. “Penalty takers don’t walk like that, shift to one side and just pass the ball. People think penalties are easy, but they’re nerve-wracking,” she added.
Despite the miss, the Nigerian football legend urged fans not to single out Chukwueze for blame. “They shouldn’t crucify him. One team must win. He wasn’t the only one who missed — Bruno also missed,” she noted.
Akide further pointed to technical details, saying Chukwueze’s movement gave away his intention. “You could see it in his body movement. I told my husband I was scared. He showed the goalkeeper where he was going and didn’t lift his head at the final contact.”
She concluded with a message of support for the Villarreal winger. “They shouldn’t discourage him. He’s a young guy. Even then, it wasn’t an easy ball to save — the goalkeeper did his job, just like ours did.”
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 24, 2026 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer, USA, World Cup
Black Stars head coach Otto Addo continued his hands-on scouting mission ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after attending the Europa League encounter between Red Bull Salzburg and FC Basel at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg.
The match offered the Ghanaian tactician a chance to closely assess two Black Stars prospects, Edmund Baidoo of Red Bull Salzburg and Jonas Adjei Adjetey of FC Basel. Adjetey completed the full 90 minutes for the Swiss side, while Baidoo featured prominently for Salzburg before being replaced in stoppage time by Karim Konaté. Salzburg eventually claimed a convincing 3-1 victory.
The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder has intensified efforts to track Ghanaian players across Europe in recent weeks as part of his preparations for the global showpiece. Otto Addo has already travelled to Spain to observe Abdul Mumin and Kwasi Sibo, and has also monitored the performances of Jordan Ayew, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Mohammed Salisu, Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Mohammed Kudus.
These regular visits are aimed not only at assessing form and fitness, but also at strengthening team unity, reinforcing shared values, and building a strong collective identity within the Black Stars camp as World Cup preparations gather momentum.
Ghana have been drawn into Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will face Panama, England and Croatia. The tournament will be hosted jointly by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with kickoff scheduled for June 2026.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 24, 2026 | AFCON, Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer, World Cup
Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren has struck a careful balance between realism and ambition as Ghana prepares for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), set to run from March 17 to April 3 in Morocco.
Following the official draw in Rabat, Ghana were placed in Group D alongside Cameroun, Mali and Cape Verde—a pool the Swedish tactician admits will be highly demanding. With the tournament now expanded to 16 teams and offering not just silverware and prize money but also Women’s World Cup qualification, Björkegren is clear about the stakes.
“It’s going to be a tough group for sure,” he admitted, noting the blend of experience, familiarity and ambition among Ghana’s opponents.
Cameroun, in particular, has caught the coach’s attention. “I watched the Cameroun squad the other day, and I was a little bit surprised,” Björkegren said. “I didn’t realise one of the players was Cameroonian. It’s an amazing squad.” He also acknowledged Mali as a known threat, having faced them in the previous edition, while cautioning against underestimating Cape Verde, who arrive as eager debutants.
With the group confirmed, preparations are already underway. “From now on, we can start planning and make the best possible preparation to achieve a good result,” the coach stated.
Ghana’s objectives are clear and ambitious. “For me, and I think for all of us, the clear target is to make the top four and qualify for the World Cup,” Björkegren explained. “That’s very important. If we make the top four, then we can push for the gold.”
Confidence within the camp is buoyed by recent progress. At the 2025 WAFCON, the Black Queens finished third after edging South Africa 4-3 on penalties, marking a strong return to the continental elite. Even a recent 2-0 loss to European champions England has been viewed positively, underlining Ghana’s growing competitiveness against top opposition.
With a strengthening squad, growing experience, and momentum from recent tournaments, the Black Queens head into Morocco targeting at least another semi-final appearance—and potentially their first-ever WAFCON title.
The 2026 WAFCON, featuring heavyweights such as hosts Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, promises to be one of the most competitive editions yet, with automatic qualification to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup awaiting the top four finishers.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 24, 2026 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer, USA, World Cup
Ghanaian football fans planning to travel to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are set to receive a major boost, following the announcement of a new visa facilitation initiative designed to cut delays and ease uncertainty.
The programme, known as FIFA PASS, will prioritise visa interview appointments for verified World Cup ticket holders.
Officially called the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System, the initiative is aimed at non-immigrant visa applicants who can confirm their match tickets in advance of the tournament.
Matthew Asada, Press Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Accra, revealed the development during an interview on Citi FM, stressing the Embassy’s commitment to ensuring fans are not blocked by administrative hurdles.
“This will ensure that any non-immigrant visa applicant who is a vetted FIFA 2026 World Cup ticket holder is able to get an appointment before the World Cup itself,” Asada explained.
Although the system is still being finalised, he noted that comprehensive details on how FIFA PASS will operate are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, the U.S. Embassy has already taken practical steps to improve access, releasing thousands of additional non-immigrant visa appointment slots, with availability starting this week. The move follows the deployment of extra consular officers in Accra to handle the anticipated surge in applications as excitement around the World Cup builds.
“We’ve already released visa appointments for this week and next week, and we’ll continue releasing them in batches. This is part of our commitment to ensuring a successful tournament,” Asada added.
