Ghana Edge Past Mali to Reach Women’s AFCON Quarter-Finals
Ghana secured their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 after battling to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mali in a tense Group D decider on Thursday, according to AllAfrica.
The result was enough to send the Black Queens through to the knockout stage of a tournament being hosted across Moroccan venues, with Mali eliminated despite a spirited second-half fightback. Both goals came in a tightly contested encounter that underlined how competitive the women’s game has become across West Africa.
Black Queens and the growth of women’s football
Ghana’s women’s national team, long nicknamed the Black Queens, are among the most established sides on the continent. They were continental champions at the inaugural Women’s AFCON in 1991 and have featured regularly at subsequent editions, although the country’s senior women’s side has often struggled to match the global stature achieved by their male counterparts, the Black Stars. Investment in domestic women’s leagues and youth structures has nonetheless expanded the talent pool in Accra and beyond in recent years.
Mali’s challenge ends
Mali, whose women’s team is known as Les Aigles Dames, arrived at the tournament hoping to build on a growing reputation in regional competition. Their men’s side has long been a force in West African football, and the women’s programme has been steadily professionalised. Despite Thursday’s elimination, their performance in Group D signalled that they are capable of competing with the continent’s more established powers.
The draw sets up a quarter-final assignment for Ghana in Morocco as the Women’s AFCON continues, with the tournament serving as a key showcase for African women’s football ahead of the broader international calendar.
Sources
This report was written from coverage published by the following news organisations. Follow the links for the original reporting.
