WAFCON 2026: Black Queens face Mali in winner-takes-all quarter-final battle

Ghana’s Black Queens take on Mali in a decisive Group D clash at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Thursday, August 6, at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca (20:00 GMT), with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

With Cameroon already through as group winners on six points, the second automatic qualification spot will be decided between the two West African rivals, who are level on three points after two matches.

Ghana opened their campaign with a 2-0 win over Cape Verde before losing 1-0 to Cameroon, while Mali recovered from a 2-1 defeat to the Indomitable Lionesses by edging Cape Verde 3-2.

The Black Queens occupy second place on goal difference and need only a draw to book their place in the last eight. Mali, however, must win to overtake Ghana and secure automatic qualification.

The stakes extend beyond a place in the knockout stage. The four semi-finalists at WAFCON 2026 will qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, making Thursday’s encounter a crucial step in Ghana’s bid to return to the global stage.