Okraku Confident Black Starlets Will Shine at U-17 AFCON
President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has expressed strong optimism that the Black Starlets will make a significant impact at the upcoming U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following their long-awaited return to the continental stage.
The Black Starlets are set to feature at the tournament for the first time in eight years after securing qualification through the WAFU B Championship held last year. Their qualification has reignited hope among Ghanaian football fans eager to see the youth side restore its reputation on the African stage.
Despite the growing confidence surrounding the team, Okraku has set his sights beyond continental participation, stressing that qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup remains the ultimate objective.
“I believe they will go to the AFCON and make us proud,” Okraku said in an interview with the GFA Media team. “That will be a joyous moment for us once again. I think we belong to the elite group on the African continent.
“Our first target is to qualify for the World Cup because that is the ultimate platform,” he added.
Ghana’s last appearance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup was in 2017 in India, where the team progressed to the quarterfinals, underscoring the country’s pedigree at youth level.
The current Black Starlets squad, under the guidance of head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum, has been in camp since the beginning of the year as preparations intensify ahead of the tournament.
The 2026 U-17 AFCON is scheduled to take place in Morocco in April.
