Ghana Qualifies for 2027 Women’s World Cup Intercontinental Playoffs After Win Against Ivory Coast
The Ghana Women’s National Team, known as the Black Queens, has secured their position in the intercontinental playoffs for the 2027 Women’s World Cup following a dramatic comeback victory against the Ivory Coast on Thursday.
Despite facing elimination from the ongoing 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in the quarter-finals at the hands of Malawi, Ghana found themselves presented with another opportunity to qualify for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.
In this decisive match, the Black Queens encountered a resilient Ivory Coast side, who had previously been eliminated by Algeria. The match took place at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, where Ghana had a rocky start when Princess Marfo conceded a penalty in the opening seconds. After an extensive VAR review, Ines Konan of Ivory Coast successfully converted the penalty, putting Ghana at an immediate disadvantage.
Throughout the first half, Ghana struggled to create significant scoring opportunities, as Ivory Coast maintained a solid defensive structure, successfully preserving their early lead. Adding to Ghana’s woes, Doris Boaduwaa had to leave the field due to injury just before the half-time whistle, with Evelyn Badu taking her place.
However, Coach Kim Lars Bjokergren’s halftime adjustments paid off, as the Black Queens returned to the pitch with renewed determination. Stella Nyamekye, starting her first game at this WAFCON, thought she had equalized for Ghana, but VAR overturned the goal due to a foul committed on goalkeeper Oceane Lamfir by Badu during the build-up to the play.
Despite this setback, Ghana intensified their efforts in search of an equalizer, which they achieved just a minute shy of the hour mark. A well-placed corner from Nyamekye led to a header from Marfo that found the back of the net, leveling the match.
Only ten minutes later, a potential penalty was awarded to Ghana when a shot from Grace Asantewaa appeared to hit the hand of Mariam Diakite. Another lengthy VAR review confirmed the decision, allowing Josephine Bonsu to step up and calmly convert the penalty, granting Ghana a 2-1 lead with less than 20 minutes left on the clock.
Although the Ivorians mounted a late attack to equalize, the Black Queens held firm, securing their spot in the playoffs for the Women’s World Cup. The preliminary phase of the playoffs is scheduled to take place later this year in November at a neutral venue, where Ghana will aim to place in the top two standings across three matches to advance to the final phase.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is currently being held from July 26 to August 16 in Morocco, across venues in Rabat and Casablanca, featuring the continent’s 16 best national teams competing in Group stages followed by knockout rounds starting August 8.
