Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz has revealed that Ghana only had its full squad available on the eve of Tuesday's international friendly against Wales, highlighting the challenges of preparing for a major tournament amid players' club commitments.

Speaking ahead of the match in Cardiff, the Portuguese coach said more than half of the squad was unavailable when preparations began because players were still involved in league and cup competitions with their clubs.

"Let's be realistic. More than 50% of the squad wasn't here with us," Queiroz said.

He explained that many players only joined camp after completing their club duties and taking time to recover from a demanding season.

"They only started arriving because of club games until May 25. They needed rest, three, four, five days depending on minutes and intensity," he added.

Queiroz also criticised the scheduling of some domestic competitions, noting that certain countries continued to stage cup finals beyond FIFA's international release period.

"Some countries didn't even respect FIFA's mandatory period and scheduled cup finals until May 29. This is the modern game," he said.

The Black Stars coach stressed that managing player fitness and mental freshness has become an important part of international football, particularly ahead of a major tournament.

"It's our duty to make the right decisions to manage fitness and mental freshness. We want players to come here excited, not exhausted," he stated.

Despite Ghana being less than three weeks away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Queiroz disclosed that Monday's training session was the first time he had the entire squad available.

"Today, the day before the game, is the first time we have the team together. That's an innovation for my football book," he said.

"To go into a World Cup warm-up friendly with players arriving the day before, it's about innovations in the game."

The Black Stars will face Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday before travelling to North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will take on Panama, England and Croatia in Group L.