Germany-born forward Ilyas Ansah has revealed he will only decide on his senior international future after participating in the UEFA U21 European Championship with Germany, effectively ruling himself out of representing Ghana at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 21-year-old striker, who plays for Bundesliga side Union Berlin, had been on the radar of the Ghana Football Association and Black Stars head coach Otto Addo in recent months as Ghana explored options to strengthen its squad ahead of the global tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Despite growing interest from Ghana, Ansah has opted to continue his progression within Germany’s youth national setup, insisting his priority is development at both club and international youth level.
“I’ve decided to soak up everything I’m currently experiencing at Union and continue playing for the German U21 team. After the U21 European Championship, I’ll look into it next year and make a decision. As things stand, I won’t be going to the World Cup with Ghana,” Ansah said, as quoted by tribuna.com.
The forward has already made six appearances for Germany’s U21 side, scoring once, and is keen to establish himself further within the German football system before making a long-term international commitment.
Ansah’s stance means the Black Stars will have to look elsewhere as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Ghana aims to assemble a competitive squad capable of making a deep run.
While his decision delays any immediate switch of allegiance, the striker has not completely closed the door on Ghana, leaving the possibility of a future commitment open once he reassesses his options after the U21 European Championship.
