The race for a place in the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games for African teams will officially come off on Wednesday, April 29, as the Confederation of African Football prepares to conduct the draw for the African qualifying series.
In a statement released ahead of the event, CAF confirmed that “the draw for the African qualifying phase of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament will be held on Wednesday, 29 April 2026 at CAF’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.”
The football governing body in Africa added that the ceremony will be broadcast live on its digital platform, noting that “the event will be streamed live on CAF TV from 15h00 local time (12h00 GMT).”
A total of 35 national teams are set to participate in what is expected to be a demanding qualification journey spread across multiple rounds. Among the countries confirmed are continental heavyweights and emerging sides , including Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Zambia.
CAF emphasized the scale of the competition, stating that “thirty-five national teams are involved in this qualifying campaign,” highlighting the growing competitiveness of women’s football across the continent.
Five Rounds to Decide Africa’s Representatives
The qualification format will see teams navigate five rounds of fixtures before the continent’s two representatives are confirmed to represent Africa at the Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament, scheduled for 11 to 29 July 2028.
The expanded structure underscores the challenge facing participating nations, with only two slots available for Africa despite the large pool of contenders. This format raises the stakes from the very first round, leaving little margin for error.
In the last Olympic cycle, Africa was represented by Nigeria and Zambia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. However, both sides endured difficult campaigns.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons exited at the group stage after failing to secure a single point against strong opposition including Spain, Brazil and Japan. Zambia’s Copper Queens also struggled, finishing with just one point in a group that featured the United States, Germany and Australia.
Those outcomes have added pressure on African teams to deliver stronger performances in the next edition, particularly as the global standard of women’s football continues to rise.
Black Queens Chase History
For Ghana’s Black Queens, the upcoming draw represents another crucial step in their pursuit of a historic milestone. The team is yet to qualify for the Olympic Games in the women’s football category and will be aiming to break that barrier this time around.
Their most recent attempt ended in disappointment during the qualification series for Paris 2024, where they were knocked out by Zambia in the third round.
That defeat extended Ghana’s wait for an Olympic appearance and exposed areas requiring improvement if they are to compete with the continent’s elite.
With the draw set to determine matchups and pathways, attention will be firmly on how the Black Queens are paired. A favourable draw could ease their route, but the depth of competition means no opponent can be taken lightly.
As anticipation builds, Wednesday’s event in Cairo will provide the first clear picture of the road ahead. For Ghana and the other 34 nations, the journey to Los Angeles begins not on the pitch, but with the turn of the draw.
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