- Black Queens Eye Winning Start as Ghana Prepare for WAFCON 2026 Opener Against Cape Verde
Ghana’s Black Queens will launch their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign on Wednesday, July 29, with a Group D clash against tournament debutants Cape Verde in Casablanca, as they look to begin their quest for continental glory on a positive note.
The Black Queens have intensified preparations ahead of the crucial opener, training in Casablanca under head coach Kim Lars Björkegren as the squad fine-tunes its tactics for the encounter.
Ghana enters the tournament with a rich history in African women’s football. The Black Queens are making their 13th appearance at WAFCON and have missed only two editions since the competition began. They remain one of the continent’s most consistent teams, having reached the final three times—in 1998, 2002 and 2006—and claimed bronze medals in 2000, 2004 and 2016.
The West Africans are also returning to the tournament after missing the 2022 edition and will be eager to re-establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
Coach Björkegren has assembled a balanced squad blending experienced internationals such as captain Portia Boakye, Grace Asantewaa, Jennifer Cudjoe, Evelyn Badu and Alice Kusi with exciting young talents as Ghana targets a place in the knockout stages.
Standing in Ghana’s way are Cape Verde, who will be making history by featuring at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.
The island nation secured its maiden qualification in dramatic fashion after overturning a first-leg deficit to defeat Mali 4-3 on aggregate in the final qualifying round, producing one of the biggest surprises of the qualification campaign.
Although newcomers to WAFCON, Cape Verde arrive in Morocco with growing confidence following an extraordinary year for football in the country.
Cape Verde’s men’s national team captured global attention at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming one of the tournament’s biggest surprise packages. On their World Cup debut, they held eventual champions Spain to a goalless draw, progressed beyond the group stage, and pushed Argentina to extra time before suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat in the knockout rounds. Their inspirational performances earned worldwide admiration and highlighted the rapid rise of football in the small Atlantic nation.
The Black Queens, however, will be determined to ensure that Cape Verde’s fairytale does not continue at their expense.
A victory would give Ghana the perfect platform ahead of tougher Group D fixtures against Cameroon and Mali, while Cape Verde will be hoping to mark their WAFCON debut with another memorable result.
Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 GMT at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, where both sides will begin their journey in pursuit of continental success.
