by Football Sierra Leone

Black Stars: Carlos Queiroz Unveils Squad for Upcoming Matches

Carlos Queiroz has picked his Ghana squad to take on Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia in the 2027 AFCON Qualifiers. Kudus and Djiku are both available once again for the Black Stars.

Jordan Ayew will also feature as captain. One player not featured was Thomas Partey, as he was left out due to injury.

Mohammed Kudus is back for Ghana after being ruled out of the 2026 World cup due to injury. He was injured for around 7 months but is fit again for the black stars.

Alexander Djiku is also back after being left out of the World Cup due to injury. He has been fit again and played all of Spartak Moscow’s last 3 games that went the full 90 mins before international duty.

Queiroz has called up Jordan Ayew after he made the switch to Sheffield United. Although he hasn’t had many appearances since his transfer, he is still wanted by the black stars for their AFCON qualifying matches.

Thomas Partey will be absent from this squad due to injury.

Benjamin Asare from Hearts of Oak will keep his spot along with Lawrence Ati-Zigi and Joseph Anang. Nathaniel Adjei will make his return to the black stars after almost a year. After impressing at Lorient in Ligue 1.

Jan Gyamerah from SV Elversberg and Ronald Donkor from New York Red Bulls have both made their return as well.

Along with others such as Ibrahim Osman and Ibrahim Sulemana from Sassuolo.

– Match vs Côte d’Ivoire: 24 September in Bouaké
– Match vs The Gambia: 29 September in Accra
– Match vs Morocco: 4 October in Tangier
Head Coach Carlos Queiroz has announced the team for our upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
Head Coach Carlos Queiroz has announced the team for our upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New Senegal Coach Patrick Vieira Selects 29 Players for AFCON Qualifiers

Here are the 29 players selected by the newly appointed head coach of Senegal, Patrick Vieira, for the upcoming fixtures.

One player missing from this initial call-up was Sadio Mané. The Al-Nassr striker has not confirmed whether he will retire from international duty.

Speaking at a press conference after the squad was revealed Vieira stated that the best player at the last AFCON is experiencing some knocks.

Senegal will take on Mozambique on the 25th of September, Ethiopia on the 29th of September and close out the games against Comoros on the 4th of October in a friendly in Marseille.

Below are the players who have made the cut for these games.

New Senegal head coach Patrick Vieira line-up 29 for AFCON qualifiers
New Senegal head coach Patrick Vieira line-up 29 for AFCON qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Midfielder Ra’ees Bangura-Williams Earns First Senior Sierra Leone Call-Up

Midfielder Ra’ees Bangura-Williams, who joined Cambridge United in August on a one-year loan from Millwall, has received his first call-up to the Sierra Leone national team for the Cup of Nations matches this month.

Bangura-Williams spent most of his early years in grassroots football. He played two years at Tooting & Mitcham United, where he made his senior debut at 17.

His strong performances led to a move to Millwall. There, he quickly made his senior debut and scored in the FA Cup. He established himself in the first team and has since made 31 appearances.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Former Scotland U21 Star Azeem Abdulai Receives First Sierra Leone Call-Up

Azeem Abdulai, a former Scotland Under-21 midfielder, is in the Sierra Leone squad for matches against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea this month.

Abdulai, who was born in Glasgow, developed his skills in the youth programs of Celtic and Leicester City. He started his professional career with Swansea City in the English Championship.

He has earned six caps with the Scotland Under-21 team and has played the last two seasons with Leyton Orient. During that time, he made 65 appearances in League One.

The midfielder has just completed a permanent transfer from Leyton Orient to the Scottish club, signing a three-year deal.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New Sierra Leone Coach Names 25-Man Squad for AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

Sierra Leone have named a 25-man squad for the opening matches of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with newly appointed head coach Didier Da Rosa placing his trust in a group dominated by UK-based players.

Here are some new players: Azeem Kerr Abdulai is joining Hibernian Football Club, Ra’ees Bangura-Williams is with Cambridge United Football Club, and MJ Kamson-Kamara will play for Kilmarnock Football Club.

The Leone Stars begin their qualification journey against Zimbabwe on 24 September in El Abdi, El Jadida, in Morocco before travelling to Cameroon to face Equatorial Guinea in their second fixture.

The matches mark the start of a crucial campaign as Sierra Leone look to secure a return to Africa’s biggest football tournament under new boss Gomes.

Having failed to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast and the 2025 finals in Morocco, expectations are high for Gomes Da Rosa to guide the national team back to the continental stage.

His first squad blends experienced internationals with emerging talent, with several players based in the United Kingdom featuring prominently in the 25-man selection.

The new coach will be hoping the fresh-look squad can make a positive start to the qualifiers and build momentum in Sierra Leone’s bid to reach the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in East Africa.

New Sierra Leone Coach Names 25-Man Squad for AFCON 2027 Qualifiers
New Sierra Leone Coach Names 25-Man Squad for AFCON 2027 Qualifiers