Black Queens Advance to Next Stage of WAFCON 2026
Ghana’s Black Queens will conclude their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a blockbuster international friendly against arch-rivals Nigeria as head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren puts the finishing touches to his squad ahead of the continental tournament.
The highly anticipated encounter with the Super Falcons comes on the back of Ghana’s encouraging 1-0 victory over Côte d’Ivoire in Casablanca on Tuesday, where substitute Sharon Sampson made an instant impact by scoring the only goal of the game after coming off the bench. The result provided another morale-boosting performance for the Black Queens, who have been intensifying their preparations in Morocco as they seek to return to the summit of African women’s football.
The friendly against Nigeria is expected to offer Ghana their toughest test before the tournament, with the Super Falcons renowned for their experience, physicality and winning pedigree on the continent. It also presents Bjorkegren with another opportunity to assess his players against elite opposition, fine-tune his tactical approach and determine his strongest starting lineup before the competition gets underway.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to kick off on July 26, with the final set to be played on August 16 in Rabat, Morocco. Ghana have been drawn in Group D alongside Cape Verde, Cameroon and Mali, a group widely considered to be competitive but one in which the Black Queens will be confident of advancing to the knockout stages. Beyond continental glory, the tournament carries added significance as it also forms part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, making every match crucial for the participating nations.
Ghana head into this year’s competition looking to build on the encouraging progress made at the previous WAFCON, where they secured a third-place finish after defeating defending champions South Africa in the bronze medal match. That achievement marked a remarkable resurgence for the Black Queens, who had missed out on the 2022 edition after failing to qualify, and it restored belief that Ghana could once again compete among Africa’s elite.
