Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has described Ghana’s opening match against Panama as the most crucial fixture for the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The four-time African champions have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, Croatia and England.

Speaking on World Cup Central on Channel One TV, Gyan said Ghana’s chances of progressing from the group could largely depend on the outcome of the opening game.

“This is the most important game we have in the group,” he said.

“Although we have the likes of England and others in the group, our first game against Panama is the most critical game.”

The former striker acknowledged that Ghana may be regarded as favourites on paper but cautioned against underrating the Central American side.

“Statistically, we are ahead of them, and we don’t know what they are going to bring to the table,” Gyan noted.

“But the last time I saw them play, I told myself that we have to watch out for them.”

Gyan described Group L as “very tricky” and stressed that a positive result against Panama could significantly boost Ghana’s confidence heading into the remaining fixtures.

“Our group is a very tricky group, but when we are able to overcome Panama, anything can happen in the other games,” he said.

The former Sunderland forward urged the Black Stars to approach the tournament one match at a time while prioritising maximum points in the opening encounter.

“Everybody will be expecting us to beat Panama, but any team that qualifies for the World Cup means that the team did something right,” he stated.

“But against Panama, we have to make sure that we get the three points. We shouldn’t settle for anything less. We should go for that win.”

The Black Stars, making their fifth appearance at the global tournament, will open their campaign against Panama on June 17, before facing England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.

The Black Stars will test their readiness against Mexico on May 22 before wrapping up their preparatory games against Wales on June 2 in their final preparatory match before heading to the global tournament.