CAF Women’s CL: Edo Queens, Ampem Darkoa set for WAFU B final extra time in Cairo on Thursday

Nigeria’s Edo Queens and Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies will meet in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday to settle the disputed West African Football Union (WAFU B) final and determine which team secures the region’s remaining slot at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.

The decisive encounter follows a ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in favour of Ampem Darkoa after the Ghanaian side protested the conclusion of last month’s regional final in Burkina Faso.

Edo Queens initially claimed the WAFU B title after winning 4-1 on penalties, following a 2-2 draw in regulation time. However, Ampem Darkoa challenged the decision to proceed directly to penalties, arguing that the competition regulations required an additional 30 minutes of extra time.

CAF upheld the Ghanaian club’s protest and ordered the outstanding period to be played at a neutral venue, giving both teams another opportunity to determine the regional representative on the pitch.

CAF ruling forces Edo Queens back into action

The dispute arose after match officials moved straight to the penalty shootout despite Ampem Darkoa’s insistence that extra time should have been played.

Edo Queens, having already won the shootout and celebrated the regional title, opposed the prospect of replaying the match. However, their objection was unsuccessful after CAF’s Disciplinary and Appeals Board upheld Ampem Darkoa’s protest.

The ruling means the Nigerian champions must return to the pitch to defend their claim to the regional crown, while Ampem Darkoa have been handed another chance to secure qualification for Africa’s premier women’s club competition.

Edo Queens left Nigeria on Monday to prepare for Thursday’s encounter, with the team seeking to put the controversy behind them and complete the job against their Ghanaian opponents.

For Ampem Darkoa, the fixture represents an opportunity to overturn the outcome of the original final and book a place among Africa’s leading women’s clubs.

Winner joins seven qualified teams

The winner will join seven other teams already confirmed for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League, according to the tournament schedule released by CAF.

The qualified sides include defending champions AS FAR of Morocco, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Mali’s USFAS Bamako, Morocco’s FUS Rabat, Cameroon’s Lekie Football Girls and Egypt’s FC Masar.

The tournament’s group-stage matches will run from November 1 to 8, with the semi-finals scheduled for November 11.

The third-place match will take place on November 14, before the final on November 15, when the continental champions will be crowned.

CAF has also confirmed that all kick-off times will follow Cairo local time. Matches will be staged at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia and Ismailia Stadium as the continent’s leading women’s clubs compete for the title.

FIFA Women’s Champions Cup place at stake

Beyond continental glory, the competition also carries international significance for the eventual African champions.

The winners of the CAF Women’s Champions League will face North Korean side Naegohyang in the second round of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in December, offering the African representatives an opportunity to test themselves against opposition from outside the continent.

With a place in the continental tournament still to be decided, Thursday’s meeting in Cairo will be crucial for both Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa.