A large pool of 41 local players will gather in Accra today to begin preparations for the new African Nations Championship.

The selected players will be looked at by the technical team of the Black Stars before naming the final squad for the preliminary round qualifier.

Ghana will play Niger at home in the first leg fixture of the preliminary round qualifiers of the new tournament designed by CAF for players who play in the various domestic leagues in Africa.

Ghana will host the first leg fixture on March 30 at the Tamale Sports Stadium.

The list is dominated by players from the premiership league with just one Division One League player making up the selected squad.

Accra Hearts of Oak's Tawfik Gibrine, who turns 16 this year and Liberty Professionals' 18 year-old striking sensation, Salifu Latif both make the list.

Invited players:

They are: Patrick Antwi, Kennedy Korlie, Kassinu Ghandi, Sam Ayew Yeboah, Ashmond Asamoah, Kalif Alhassan, Salifu Latif, Kofi Nti Boakye and Yaw Antwi (Liberty Professionals) Fatau Dauda and Mubarak Wakaso (AshantiGold), Richard Manu, Prince Anokye, Harrison Afful, Jordan Opoku, Francis Akwafo and Eric Bekoe (Asante Kotoko).