Augustine Boakye will not join the Ghana squad for Friday’s international friendly against Mexico after remaining with his club side Saint-Etienne for their Ligue 1 playoff campaign.
The Ghanaian midfielder is unavailable for the Black Stars because Saint-Etienne begin their crucial playoff tie against OGC Nice on Tuesday as they battle to secure their top-flight status in France.
Boakye had been expected to be part of Ghana’s preparations for the pre-World Cup friendly in North America, but the timing of Saint-Etienne’s playoff fixtures has prevented him from travelling to Mexico to join the national team camp.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a growing role at Saint-Etienne this season and remains an important member of the squad heading into the high-pressure playoff matches.
Ghana began training in Puebla earlier this week ahead of Friday’s encounter against Mexico, which forms part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Coach Carlos Queiroz is using the friendly to assess several fringe players and emerging talents before announcing Ghana’s final World Cup squad.
The Black Stars technical team had hoped to take a closer look at Boakye during the international window, but his absence means he will now focus entirely on helping Saint-Etienne in their bid to avoid relegation.
Ghana are expected to continue preparations in Mexico over the next two days before taking on the World Cup co-hosts on Friday.