The Black Stars of Ghana will face Colombia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite ending their Group L campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Croatia on Saturday night.
Ghana, already assured of progression before kick-off, were edged in a tightly contested encounter that saw the 2018 World Cup finalists strike first through Petar Sučić in the 31st minute, giving Croatia a 1-0 lead at half-time.
The Black Stars responded strongly after the break and found their equaliser in the 73rd minute when debutant Derrick Luckassen converted to bring Ghana level and inject renewed belief into their performance.
However, the game was decided late on when Nikola Vlašić rose highest from a corner seven minutes from time to restore Croatia’s lead and secure all three points.
Despite the defeat, Ghana’s earlier results were enough to guarantee progression to the knockout stage, where they will now turn their attention to a Round of 32 meeting with Colombia.
Colombia topped Group K with seven points, while Portugal finished second on five points, setting up the remaining knockout fixtures.
Ghana’s next test will take place at the Kansas City Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, July 3, with kick-off scheduled for 01:30 GMT.
The qualification marks another milestone for the Black Stars, who have now matched their best World Cup knockout achievement since reaching the same stage in 2010 in South Africa.
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