The Black Queens of Ghana have been eliminated from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after suffering a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to debutants Malawi in Morocco on Sunday evening.
The defeat ends Ghana’s hopes of winning a maiden WAFCON title and leaves their long wait for a return to the FIFA Women’s World Cup unresolved. Ghana’s last World Cup appearance came in 2007 in China. That appearance was the last of three consecutive qualifications from 1999 through to 2007.
Ghana made the perfect start when Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah opened the scoring in the seventh minute. The forward reacted quickest after a Malawian defender’s clearance fell into her path and volleyed past the goalkeeper for her first goal of the tournament.
Ghana nearly doubled their advantage just minutes later when Evelyn Badu met a teasing cross, but she could not make clean contact with her header.
Malawi responded five minutes after Ghana had netted through Temwa Chawinga, who scored her fourth goal of the competition. Her effort took a significant deflection before wrong-footing Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan and finding the net to restore parity.
The goal moves Chawinga to just one behind Zambia’s Barbara Banda in the race for the top scorer award though the latter has exited the tournament and the Malawian has two more games to add to her tally.
The teams went into the interval level at 1-1, but Ghana struggled to impose itself after the restart as Malawi grew increasingly comfortable in possession and began to control the rhythm of the contest.
Malawi Punish Ghana’s Lack Of Attacking Threat
Ghana appeared to have regained the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Doris Boaduwaa finished an attacking move after heading into the net a sumptuous cross from Alice Kusi. However, the goal was ruled out following a VAR review, denying the Black Queens what could have been a crucial advantage.
Instead, Malawi continued to threaten with crisp passing and coordinated movement, while Ghana increasingly relied on long balls that failed to consistently trouble the Scorchers’ defence.
The pressure eventually told in the 78th minute when Rose Kadzere completed Malawi’s comeback. The midfielder was involved in a slick team move before rolling past Ghana defender Susan Ama Duah and calmly placing a low shot beneath the advancing goalkeeper Konlan.
Ghana pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but could not find a way through, as Malawi held on to complete one of the biggest victories in their women’s football history.
At their maiden appearance at the WAFCON, they have beaten both Nigeria and Ghana underlining the growth of women’s football on the continent.
The result is particularly painful for Ghana, who entered the tournament targeting both their first continental crown and a return to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Black Queens finished third at the previous WAFCON but has now existed this edition in the last 16.
Malawi, meanwhile, have turned their first appearance at the WAFCON into an extraordinary breakthrough. Their semi-final qualification guarantees them a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup, making them the first Malawian national team, at any level, to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. FIFA confirms that the four WAFCON semi-finalists receive Africa’s four direct World Cup places.
Malawi had topped Group C ahead of Nigeria and Zambia, underlining the scale of their run and giving them confidence heading into the knockout stage.
Semi Final Paths Set
Malawi will face Algeria in the semi-finals, with both nations now one victory away from reaching the WAFCON final for the first time. The other semi-final will see hosts Morocco take on Cameroon.
Malawi secured their maiden WAFCON appearance by beating Angola 2-0 on aggregate.
They have now gone from continental debutants to World Cup qualifiers in one tournament.
Another Shot at World Cup Qualification Beckons for Ghana
Ghana’s defeat does not completely end their World Cup hopes. The Black Queens will enter a playoff involving the four losing quarter-finalists, with the winners of the two playoff matches earning CAF’s two places in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
FIFA’s qualification structure gives Africa four direct World Cup places and two additional play-off slots.
Ghana are expected to face Côte d’Ivoire in one of those qualification playoffs on Thursday, August 13, while Nigeria will meet South Africa after the defending champions were eliminated by Cameroon. Nigeria’s quarter-final exit also means they will not reach the WAFCON semi-finals for the first time in their history.
The African playoff winners will enter the FIFA Play-Off Tournament alongside teams from other confederations competing for the final three World Cup places.
For the Black Queens, the immediate focus will now shift from continental glory to survival in the World Cup qualification race. Ghana must now win their playoff route to keep their hopes of returning to the world stage alive.
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