Black Stars head coach Otto Addo says Derrick Arthur Kohn was unable to feature against Chad last week due to FIFA not approving the Union Berlin defender's nationality switch.

The left-back received his first call-up to the Black Stars for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Chad and Mali. However, he was unable to play in the game against Chad as Ghana settled for a draw.

The four-time African champions will hope to bounce back from their disappointing draw against Chad as they host the Eagles of Mali in a crucial match on Monday, September 8, at the Accra Sports Stadium

Speaking ahead of the game, Addo expressed optimism that the clearance could arrive in time.

"We had a lot of difficulties in Chad, and one of them was Derrick. We didn’t get FIFA’s approval at that point. We were hoping for it, but up until now, we haven't got it. I’m hoping it arrives by tomorrow morning,” he said.

Addo stressed that his player selection is based purely on quality, not on whether they are local or born abroad.

"This is the status quo, and the rest is general. We are always open to players of Ghanaian descent. I always say it's not about local players or players from outside or those who were born in diaspora. It’s about quality, and we are looking for all kinds of players,” he added.

A victory on Monday would mark back-to-back wins for the Black Stars against Mali and extend their lead over Comoros to four points in Group I.