FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Ghana Black Stars Squad Announcement – An evolving national ritual

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is so close and the countdown is well and truly on ahead of the first-ever World Cup tournament to be held in the Middle East.

Having covered five World Cup final tournaments with three of those as the Black Stars “Embedded reporter”, neither my fascination nor my appetite for the Black Stars or the global football fiesta has waned.

Come Monday 14th November, Ghana will be the last African country to officially announce her Qatar 2022 World Cup Squad after Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon and Senegal.

With a number of international media networks and correspondents already in Accra, it’s by no means just another local press conference but a major football event with global interest and presence.

The FIFA World Cup is by far the biggest global soccer event endowed with massive viewership.

Interestingly, the journey does not end after qualification battles have been concluded.

Indeed, narrow is the gate that every footballer must pass through to represent their country at the World Cup.

Otto Addo’s 26 man Black Stars squad, has already been submitted to FIFA but as tradition demands, every football association is duty bound to announce it’s World Cup players to their nation in order to solicit blessings and their citizens full support.

Africa’s biggest Sports broadcaster, DStv will beam the announcement LIVE across the continent , with Max TV (official Ghana FA Broadcast Partners) also televising the 60 minutes event.

Online portals across every major social media platform in Ghana, will be in a frenzy for what will be a highly anticipated delivery by the national team coach.

Beyond traditional media outlets, there will be inevitable and often heated debate about the squad at taxi and bus stations, schools, chop bars and the compounds of many homes.

It has been a ritual for Ghanaians since 2006 and occurs only once every 4 years; broken only in 2018 when the Black Stars failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia.

As the traditional elders would say, let the rituals begin!

By Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah a former BBC Sports Presenter and currently head of the iMax Media Group in Ghana.