Ghana’s Black Queens will face Malawi’s Scorchers today, Sunday, August 9, in a high-stakes quarter-final clash at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Coach expects a tough contest
World Cup qualification at stake
The match presents Ghana with an opportunity to move into the last four of the competition while keeping their hopes of returning to the FIFA Women’s World Cup alive.
Ghana advanced to the quarter-finals after finishing second in Group D following a 1-1 draw with Mali in their final group game.
Malawi, meanwhile, have been one of the surprise teams of the tournament. The Scorchers topped Group C and reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren has described the encounter as an extremely important match for Ghana, stressing the significance of the opportunity before his team.
The Swedish coach has also acknowledged the threat posed by Malawi, particularly the influential Chawinga sisters, who have been among the standout performers for the Scorchers during the tournament.
Björkegren, however, remains confident that Ghana have improved throughout the competition and can produce a strong performance when it matters most.
The quarter-final carries added significance because the outcome could determine Ghana’s path towards the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
With the Black Queens aiming to return to the global stage, victory against Malawi would put them one step closer to achieving that objective.
Ghana have not featured at the FIFA Women’s World Cup since their last appearance in 2007, making the current WAFCON campaign particularly important for the team.
The Black Queens will therefore be looking to combine their experience with the momentum of the tournament as they attempt to overcome a Malawi side enjoying a historic campaign.
The winner will advance to the WAFCON semi-finals, while the losing side will have to continue through the tournament’s qualification pathway for a chance to secure World Cup qualification.
The highly anticipated quarter-final is scheduled for today, August 9, as Ghana seek to keep their WAFCON title hopes and World Cup ambitions alive.
