FIFA approval is pending
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At 1. FC Union Berlin, defender Derrick Köhn has recently been getting more and more going, and with a view to the coming summer, the 26-year-old has hopes of taking part in the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA. However, the former German U19 national player’s move to the Ghanaian association is a problem – there is no approval from the world association FIFA.
“I and Otto Addo don’t really know 100 percent what the problem is now. I just understood it because I played for Germany in the U19 that there has to be a change of association first,” Köhn is quoted as saying in the “Berliner Zeitung”. He already has the Ghanaian passport, “the rest is up to the association,” said the full-back, who moved from Galatasaray to Köpenicker for 4 million euros in the summer.
Coach Addo’s Black Stars successfully secured their ticket to the 2026 World Cup finals during the week. Köhn had already taken part in the preparation for the two qualifying games against the Republic of Chad and Mali in September. However, nothing came of the debut: “When I was there, I just started training and thought that I could play in the two qualifying games.” Meanwhile, Ghana is trying to pull out all the stops to obtain the right to play for the new Berliner from the world association.
“I spoke to national coach Otto Addo. That was three or four days before the Leverkusen game. He told me that he was very sad that he couldn’t nominate me. That the Ghanaian Football Association is doing everything to ensure that I can somehow slip in when FIFA responds,” said Köhn.
This is what Atto and Köhn say about the change of association
In addition to German, Köhn also has Ghanaian citizenship. The Africans had tried to recruit the player several times in recent years, but he always postponed a decision about which nation he wanted to play for. “Both nations mean a lot to me, and I feel connected to both Germany and Ghana. (…) As far as the national team is concerned, I leave everything open. When the time comes, I will calmly think about what the right step is for my career. In any case, it would be an honor for me to play for one of the two nations,” said Köhn in the Transfermarkt interview at the beginning of 2025.
Here Transfermarkt explains the mode of World Cup qualification in Europe and the path to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
At the end of 2024, Addo said at TM with a view to the personnel: “We spoke to Derrick two years ago, that’s no secret. In general, the following always applies: the players also have to want it and one or two who have the opportunity may also be hoping for a call-up for Germany. Others have never been to Africa. Many factors always play a role in such a decision from all sides, you shouldn’t underestimate that. Sometimes the players don’t want to and then you have to accept.”