2026 World Cup: We must be ready to suffer to win games, says Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz after win over Panama

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has warned his players to expect a stern test when they face England in their next Group L fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Black Stars opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, thanks to Caleb Yirenkyi’s dramatic late winner.

After a sluggish first-half display, Ghana improved after the break and eventually found the breakthrough in stoppage time to secure all three points and make a winning start to the tournament.

Looking ahead to the clash against England, Queiroz stressed that his players must be prepared to endure difficult moments and make sacrifices if they hope to continue their positive run.

“To suffer and play. We have to suffer; there is no other way. We must be ready to make sacrifices," he told the press.

"You have to be ready to pay the price because a win in this World Cup is very expensive. But the boys are ready to pay that price. Very expensive,” Queiroz added.

The victory leaves Ghana in a strong position in Group L, alongside England, who began their campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia.

Attention now turns to the eagerly anticipated encounter with England at Gillette Stadium on June 23, before the Black Stars conclude their group-stage campaign against Croatia four days later.

Having collected three valuable points from their opening match, Ghana will be eager to build on their momentum as they pursue a place in the knockout stages for the first time since reaching the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.