Three Ghanaian stars ready to fly Ghana's flag in UEFA Champions League

Ghana will once again have a presence on European football's biggest club stage, with three Black Stars players set to begin their UEFA Champions League campaigns as the revamped league phase of the competition gets underway. Antoine Semenyo, Rahim Ibrahim and Kojo Peprah Oppong are the three Ghanaian players included in their respective clubs' squads for the 2026/27 campaign, each carrying the hopes of Ghanaian football fans as they prepare to compete against some of the finest clubs and players in world football. For Ghana, the Champions League represents more than just club football. It is a stage that has produced some of the country's greatest football memories, with legendary names such as Abedi Ayew 'Pele', Samuel Osei Kuffour, Sulley Ali Muntari and Michael Essien all lifting the famous trophy. Now, a new generation has the opportunity to write its own chapter. ANTOINE SEMENYO – MANCHESTER CITY Semenyo leads the Ghanaian contingent with reigning European heavyweights Manchester City, who begin their league-phase campaign away against FC Porto in Portugal on Tuesday. The 26-year-old is returning to the Champions League after making his debut in the competition with City last season and will be hoping to play a bigger role this time around. Semenyo has already made an encouraging start to the new Premier League campaign, featuring in all three matches and registering two assists. He was involved once again at the weekend, providing the assist for Erling Haaland's winning goal in Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Coventry City. After their trip to Porto, City will welcome Paris Saint-Germain before facing another European challenge against Athens. A difficult trip to Germany to face RB Leipzig follows, before Napoli visit Manchester. The Citizens will then face a major test at the Camp Nou against Spanish champions Barcelona, followed by an away trip to Lens. City's league-phase campaign will conclude at home against Sporting CP, giving Semenyo eight opportunities to make his mark against some of Europe's elite. RAHIM IBRAHIM – SLOVAN BRATISLAVA Rahim Ibrahim will also experience another taste of Champions League football with Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava. The Ghanaian midfielder has already featured in all six of Slovan Bratislava's Champions League matches this season, demonstrating his importance to the club as they prepare for the demanding leagu"])self.__next_f.push([1,"e phase. His European journey begins with perhaps one of the biggest challenges imaginable, as Slovan travel to Paris to face Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. The Ghanaian will then return home to Tehelné pole, where VfB Stuttgart will provide the opposition. Slovan's campaign continues with a trip to Italy to face AS Roma at the iconic Stadio Olimpico before another away assignment in Austria against LASK at the Raiffeisen Arena. Real Betis will then visit Tehelné pole before Shakhtar Donetsk make the trip to Bratislava. Ibrahim and his teammates will subsequently travel to France to face LOSC Lille at the Decathlon Arena, before concluding their league-phase campaign at home against Italian giants Inter Milan. It promises to be a demanding schedule, but also a tremendous opportunity for Ibrahim to showcase his qualities on one of football's grandest stages. KOJO PEPRAH OPPONG – FENERBAHCE Meanwhile, Kojo Peprah Oppong could make his Champions League debut when Fenerbahçe begin their campaign at home against AS Roma on Thursday. The 22-year-old defender joined the Turkish giants from Nice during the summer and now finds himself competing for a place in a squad containing significant defensive experience, including Nathan Aké and Milan Škriniar. Fenerbahçe's campaign begins in Istanbul against Roma before they travel to England to face Aston Villa. Slavia Prague will then visit Turkey, followed by another mouth-watering home fixture against Liverpool. The Turkish giants will subsequently travel to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk before another away trip to Austria to meet LASK. Villarreal will provide the opposition in Istanbul before Fenerbahçe finish their league-phase campaign away in Madrid against Atlético Madrid. For Oppong, the competition presents an opportunity to announce himself on the European stage and gain invaluable experience against some of the continent's biggest clubs. The three players will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Ghanaian legends who have already conquered Europe. Abedi Ayew 'Pele' became the first Ghanaian to lift the European Cup when he helped Olympique de Marseille win the trophy in the 1992/93 season. Ibrahim Tanko followed with Borussia Dortmund in 1996/97, before Samuel Osei Kuffour lifted the trophy with Bayern Munich in 2000/01. Sulley Ali Muntari then became a Champions League winner with Inter Milan in 2009/10. The most recent Ghanaian to lift the trophy is Michael Essien, who won it with Chelsea