Ghana’s Black Queens withdraw from Tanzania three-nation tournament

Ghana’s senior women’s national team, the Black Queens, have withdrawn from the upcoming three-nation tournament scheduled to be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during the June FIFA international window.

The tournament was set to run from June 1 to June 9 and was expected to feature hosts Tanzania, Ghana and Malawi. The competition was designed to provide participating nations with valuable match practice ahead of upcoming international assignments.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed the Black Queens’ withdrawal in a statement, bringing an end to plans for the team to compete in the East African nation this month.

The Black Queens had initially been included in the tournament as part of their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The competition was expected to offer head coach and his technical team an opportunity to assess the squad and fine-tune preparations ahead of the continental showpiece.

However, the GFA announced that Ghana will no longer take part in the tournament after deciding to withdraw from the competition. The association did not provide reasons for the decision.

Despite pulling out of the tournament, preparations for the Black Queens’ upcoming assignments will continue during the FIFA international window. According to the GFA, the team will remain in Accra, where they are expected to continue their training programme.

The association added that the Black Queens will instead play friendly matches in the Ghanaian capital as part of efforts to maintain their readiness and build momentum ahead of future competitions.

The change in plans means the Black Queens will miss out on the opportunity to face Tanzania and Malawi in competitive international fixtures during the June window.

Nonetheless, the coaching staff will still have the chance to evaluate players and work on tactical preparations through the scheduled friendly matches in Accra.

Further details regarding the opponents and dates for the proposed friendlies are yet to be announced.