'Forget about names' - John Paintsil confident of Black Stars' chances in World Cup Group L

Ghana assistant coach John Paintsil has expressed confidence in the Black Stars’ ability to perform in Group L of the 2026 World Cup, despite facing tough opponents.

The group includes England, Croatia, and Panama, and Paintsil insists Ghana can compete effectively.

The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June at 23:00 GMT in Toronto.

They will then face England on Tuesday, 23 June at 20:00 GMT in Boston, before closing the group stage against Croatia on Saturday, 27 June at 22:00 GMT in Philadelphia.

Speaking at a World Cup draw viewing party, Paintsil stressed the importance of focusing on team performance rather than the stature of opponents.

“[Group L is] a group that Ghanaians cannot underrate. Forget about the names. It's a tournament that we are going to. I believe it's a group that will bring the best out of the team,” he said.

 “Looking at our performance during the qualification, it was fantastic. And, looking at the players that we have, we have many players who are equally very good and can stand any task,” Paintsil added.