We want to prove our World Cup readiness against Wales - Black Stars defender Gideon Mensah

Black Stars defender Gideon Mensah says Ghana’s upcoming international friendly against Wales will be a key test of the team’s preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The senior national team has opened camp in Cardiff as part of final preparations for the tournament, which will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Ghana will take on Wales on June 2 before another friendly against Jamaica as head coach Carlos Queiroz fine-tunes his squad ahead of the global showpiece.

Mensah stressed that the fixtures offer an important opportunity for the team to assess its level and build confidence.

“The expectation is very clear for me as a player, and then we as a team, we are working towards a very crucial tournament for us, for the country and for ourselves as players,” he said on the Ghana FA website.

“So, I mean, we are expecting that we go into the game, show to the Ghanaians and show to ourselves that we are ready to go and compete with whoever comes against us in the World Cup,” he added.

Before the Wales clash, Queiroz is expected to name his final 26-man squad for the tournament.

Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia. They open their campaign against Panama at BMO Field on June 17, face England at Gillette Stadium on June 23, and conclude the group stage against Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field on June 27.

The Black Stars will be aiming to go beyond the group stage for the first time since 2010, having suffered early exits in 2014 and 2022.