Antoine Semenyo: "We will exhibit our culture at the World Cup."
Originally published February 3, 2026 | Updated October 24, 2026
Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo told CBS Sports that the Black Stars wanted to showcase Ghanaian culture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His remarks came ahead of the tournament, when Ghana had been drawn in Group L with Panama, England and Croatia.
What Semenyo said before the tournament
In the interview, Semenyo said Ghana wanted to express its identity through the support, dancing and singing that accompany the national team at major tournaments. He also described how he might celebrate with teammates if he scored against England. These were his pre-tournament hopes, not a report of something that later happened in a match.
Ghana’s official group schedule listed Panama as the opening opponent, followed by England and Croatia. See the Ghana Football Association’s fixture announcement for the schedule as originally released.
Update: Ghana’s 2026 World Cup campaign
Updated October 24, 2026: The tournament has now concluded. Ghana beat Panama 1–0, drew 0–0 with England and lost 2–1 to Croatia in Group L. The Black Stars advanced to the Round of 32, where they were eliminated after a 1–0 defeat to Colombia on July 3. The pre-tournament comments above should be read in that context.
The Confederation of African Football’s match report describes Ghana’s Round of 32 exit and the 1–0 result against Colombia. The FIFA knockout-stage results also record the Colombia–Ghana match.
Why the comments mattered
For supporters, the World Cup is more than a series of fixtures: it is an opportunity for Ghanaian fans and players to share their traditions with an international audience. Semenyo’s comments reflected that cultural dimension while the team prepared for the competition. They should not be taken as a prediction or guarantee of a particular result.
Editorial note: This page preserves the original pre-tournament news while adding a dated update based on tournament results. Quotes and expectations are attributed to the speaker; later match outcomes are reported separately.
