Ghana coach Otto Addo has named a 22-man Black Stars squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Japan and South Korea, with captain Jordan Ayew, star midfielder Mohammed Kudus and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey all omitted from the travelling party.
Kudus, who has missed Tottenham Hotspur’s last two matches, is currently nursing an injury and will remain in England to continue his recovery during the international break.
There has been no official explanation provided for Jordan Ayew’s absence, while Partey also stays away as Addo rotates his options ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The friendlies form part of the 2025 Kirin Cup, with Ghana facing hosts Japan in Nagoya on Friday, November 14, before travelling to take on South Korea four days later.
Among the new faces in the squad is Czech Republic-based striker Prince Kwabena Adu, who earns his first senior call-up after netting six goals for Viktoria Plzeň this season.
He is joined by fellow debutants Kelvin Nkrumah of Medeama SC, who has played in all nine Ghana Premier League matches as the Tarkwa club sit second in the table, and Prince Osei Owusu of FC Montreal, who scored nine goals in 31 appearances.
Left-back Derrick Kohn is also in line for a possible debut after completing his nationality switch through FIFA.
Otto Addo will hold his first training session with the squad in Nagoya on Wednesday as the Black Stars step up preparations for the two high-profile encounters.
The matches provide valuable game time as Ghana build towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the final draw for the group stage scheduled for December 5, 2025.