Ghana’s Black Queens will put their hopes of returning to the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the line when they face Côte d’Ivoire in a decisive 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) play-off on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
The West African rivals will meet at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, with kick-off scheduled for 5:00pm GMT.
The encounter has taken on enormous significance after both nations were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the WAFCON, leaving them with one final route towards the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Ghana suffered a painful 2-1 defeat to WAFCON debutants Malawi in the quarter-finals on Sunday, August 9. The result ended the Black Queens’ hopes of reaching the semi-finals and, with it, automatic qualification for the global tournament.
Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 by Algeria in their quarter-final, with the result sending Algeria through to the semi-finals and securing their place at the 2027 World Cup.
The four losing quarter-finalists — Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and South Africa — have been given another opportunity to keep their World Cup dreams alive. The four teams are involved in two play-off matches, with the winners moving into the next stage of the qualification process.
For the Black Queens, Thursday’s clash represents far more than another WAFCON fixture. It is a battle for survival and a chance to continue a journey that could eventually take Ghana back to the biggest stage in women’s football.
A chance to end a long World Cup wait
Ghana have not appeared at the FIFA Women’s World Cup since 2007, when the Black Queens competed at the tournament in China.
The 2007 edition was Ghana’s third consecutive appearance at the Women’s World Cup, following their participation in the 1999 and 2003 tournaments.
Since then, the Black Queens have missed the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions.
Their last appearance came almost two decades ago, making qualification for Brazil 2027 potentially historic for a generation of Ghanaian women footballers.
The Black Queens therefore enter Thursday’s encounter knowing that victory would keep alive the possibility of ending Ghana’s long World Cup absence.
Everything on the line
The 2026 WAFCON doubles as Africa’s qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four semi-finalists earn automatic tickets to Brazil, while the losing quarter-finalists must fight through the additional play-off route.
Ghana missed out on the automatic route following their defeat to Malawi, but their campaign is not over.
The Black Queens must now overcome a familiar West African opponent in Côte d’Ivoire, who will also be desperate to prolong their own World Cup ambitions.
With the stakes so high, there is little room for error. A defeat would leave Ghana’s World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, while victory would move the Black Queens one step closer to securing a place at Brazil 2027.
For head coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his players, the message is simple: the road to the World Cup remains open, but only victory will keep them on it.
Match details
2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-off
Match: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana
Date: Thursday, August 13, 2026
Venue: Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco
Kick-off: 5:00pm GMT
Competition: WAFCON 2026 / 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification
Stakes: Winner advances in the World Cup qualification pathway
The Black Queens will now look to put the disappointment of their Malawi defeat behind them and produce the performance required to keep Ghana’s dream of returning to the FIFA Women’s World Cup alive.
After 19 years away from the global stage, the opportunity is too important to let slip.
Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of The Accra Daily Mail, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
