Former Ghana international Mohammed Polo believes there is no excuse for the Black Stars to miss out on a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to him, the increase in the number of participating teams from Africa means there is an easier chance of the team booking a place.

Polo urged the players to avoid a similar situation, which saw them miss out on the qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 20 years.

"The younger ones have to know their predecessors have left a legacy which they have to take over. They have to do everything possible; what we've left is so important that it has to be broken," he said.

"Unfortunately, what they can only show us is that they qualified for the World Cup. This is because the slot has risen to five, and we saw what they did at the World Cup [in 2010], but it wasn't enough. They were going to set a record of getting to the semifinals, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. Morocco has come to make that so they still have a lot of work to do...

"This time, there are nine slots. There is no way they have to miss out. They shouldn't be missing. We don't want to see that AFCON issue again. They have to come together as a family so that they can play for Ghana and for themselves."

Ghana went three points clear of their qualification group during the last international break with wins over Chad and Madagascar.

The Black Stars are three points ahead of Comoros with four games still to come.