Ghana is set to begin their TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 Group D campaign against tournament debutants Cabo Verde. The match will take place at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Wednesday, 29 July, with kick-off scheduled for 18h00 local time.
This encounter marks the first time Ghana and Cabo Verde will meet in the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Cabo Verde is the first island nation that Ghana will face in the finals. Ghana has a history of playing against tournament debutants, with their last such game being a 3-1 group-stage victory over Kenya in 2016.
Ghana’s Tournament History and Preparations
Ghana will be making their 12th appearance at WAFCON. They have previously reached the finals three times, in 1998, 2002, and 2006, losing all three to Nigeria. The team has also secured a third-place finish on four occasions, which is more than any other team. In their initial five tournament appearances between 1998 and 2006, Ghana consistently advanced beyond the group stage.
The team’s head coach, Kim Björkegren, who led them to a bronze medal at the previous edition, will again be at the helm. Björkegren has outlined the team’s ambitions for the tournament, including qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. He stated that reaching the semi-finals is crucial for World Cup qualification. The coach expressed satisfaction with the squad’s development and their experience against high-level opponents.
Chantelle-Boye Hlorkah highlighted the squad’s strong cohesion, stating, “We’ve come together as a family to support that goal.” She noted that the team has prepared well and is ready for the competition, having gained confidence from past experiences. The squad’s focus is on their own performance, with the belief that opponents will need to work hard to break them down.
Ghana reached the finals after securing 3-0 and 4-0 qualifying victories over Egypt, resulting in a 7-0 aggregate win. Doris Boaduwaa scored a hat-trick in the second leg and also found the net in the first fixture.
Cabo Verde’s Debut and Squad Composition
Cabo Verde is making their debut in the tournament, becoming the second island nation to feature at WAFCON after Réunion in 2000. They are also the first island nation to have both their men’s and women’s national teams participate in AFCON and WAFCON, respectively. The team aims to finish in the top four to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, mirroring their men’s team’s appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In the first round of qualifying, Cabo Verde defeated Guinea 6-3 on aggregate, drawing the away leg 2-2 and winning the home leg 4-1. Varsenia da Luz scored in both matches. They then overcame Mali in the second qualifying round, losing the first leg 1-0 at home but winning the return match 4-2 away, securing a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Seventeen of Cabo Verde’s players are based in Portugal, while two players, including captain Da Luz and Jacinta Rodrigues, play in their domestic league. Other squad members compete in Slovakia, Malta, Poland, and England. Following their match against Cabo Verde, Ghana will play Cameroon on Saturday, August 2, and conclude their group matches against Mali on August 6.
Source: cafonline.com
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