Khaberni - The German Football Association announced on Monday that the national team will face Ghana instead of Ivory Coast in a friendly match in March, as part of the preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
This change was made because the German team, four-time world champions, will face their Ivorian counterparts in the group stages of the World Cup to be held in North America in June and July, where the teams do not wish to reveal their strategies in a direct confrontation.
The German team will play on March 30 against Ghana, which is coached by Otto Addo, former Borussia Dortmund star.
Germany's coach, Julian Nagelsmann, said in a statement: "We are looking forward to facing Otto Addo, as Ghana's proficiency in counter-attacks will be a good indicator of what the Ivory Coast match in the World Cup will be like."
The German team will play several friendly matches, facing Switzerland in Basel on March 27, Finland in Mainz on May 31, and the United States in Chicago on June 6, before the kick-off of the expanded World Cup tournament.
In its World Cup group, the German team will face both Curaçao and Ecuador, but it has not yet decided on its accommodation and training camp locations during the tournament.
