Black Sharks to Hold Nationwide ‘Justify Your Inclusion’ Trials Ahead of Nigeria Clash
Ghana’s national beach soccer team, the Black Sharks, is set to hold a nationwide “justify your inclusion” trial as part of preparations for the crucial 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (BSAFCON) qualifiers against Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles in October.
The initiative is aimed at ensuring that no player’s place in the national team is taken for granted. Every prospective member of the squad, regardless of previous appearances or reputation, will be required to earn their place on merit.
Head Coach of the Black Sharks, Daniel Nii Kotey, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the exercise represents a deliberate shift towards greater accountability and competition within the national team as Ghana seeks to assemble its strongest squad for the high-stakes qualifiers.
“Under our arrangement, players who featured for the Black Sharks in previous competitions will not be handed automatic selection but will instead be required to report to the trial grounds alongside new and emerging talents to justify why they deserve to retain their place in the team,” he said.
According to the coach, the approach is intended to intensify competition for places, maintain high-performance standards and create opportunities for both established and emerging players who demonstrate the required quality and fitness.
As part of the nationwide exercise, a two-day “justify your inclusion” trial will be held at Emancipation Beach in Keta on September 11 and 12.
“During the trials, players will be assessed on fitness, technical ability, tactical discipline and overall competitiveness. All eligible players are invited to report and prove their worth, since no player is guaranteed selection without going through the process,” Mr Kotey said.
He noted that the World Cup qualification dimension makes the selection process even more important, stressing that only players capable of performing under pressure and demonstrating genuine quality would be considered for the final squad.
Other technical handlers overseeing the exercise have also emphasised that the trials will be conducted transparently, with players assessed strictly on their current form and performance rather than past achievements with the national team.
The objective, they said, is to ensure that only the fittest and most in-form players make the final squad for the qualifiers against Nigeria, a side that has won two Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations titles, in 2006 and 2007.
Sports enthusiasts in the region have welcomed the “justify your inclusion” approach, describing it as a fair and merit-based system that gives talented players a genuine opportunity to break into the national team.
The 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations will also serve as the African qualifying route for the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. The two finalists will earn automatic qualification to the global tournament.
The two-legged encounter between Ghana and Nigeria is scheduled for October 9 to 11, 2026, with the return fixture billed for October 16 to 18. The venues and kick-off times are yet to be officially confirmed.
The GNA further gathered that the “justify your inclusion” exercise will also be extended to Zone A, where the lack of an active beach soccer league has affected the regular competitive activity and fitness levels of players ahead of the crucial encounter.
As the Black Sharks intensify their preparations for the October qualifiers, football stakeholders believe the rigorous selection process will be key to building a formidable and battle-ready squad capable of overcoming Nigeria, advancing to the continental finals in Senegal and ultimately securing Ghana’s place at the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
