Women’s World Cup 2027: Thursday draw to shape South Africa and Ghana routes

South Africa and Ghana will discover their opponents in the intercontinental play-offs for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 when the draw takes place on Thursday, 20 August 2026.

Both nations were knocked out in the quarter-finals but remain in contention for a place at next year’s tournament after securing important play-off victories. South Africa kept their hopes alive by beating Nigeria, while Ghana advanced after defeating Cote d’Ivoire.

The two teams will now take part in the intercontinental play-off stage, which is scheduled to be played in November and December. Their results in that phase will determine whether they can complete their route to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

The draw will set the next obstacles for the remaining teams. Ecuador, Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan and Ghana are among the qualified teams listed for Thursday’s event. South Africa will also enter the intercontinental play-offs after their result against Nigeria.

South Africa and Ghana cannot be drawn against one another because they belong to the same confederation. That restriction means each side will be paired with an opponent from outside their confederation during the next stage of the qualification process.

For Ghana, the draw represents the next step after their victory over Cote d’Ivoire preserved their hopes of reaching the World Cup. The result came after their quarter-final elimination, leaving the team with another opportunity through the intercontinental route.

South Africa face the same situation. Their quarter-final defeat did not end their qualification campaign because the victory over Nigeria secured their place in the play-offs. The Banyana Banyana must now wait to learn who stands between them and a potential place at the global finals.

The intercontinental play-offs are due to take place in November and December, meaning the teams will have several months between Thursday’s draw and their decisive matches. The draw will therefore provide both South Africa and Ghana with clarity about the opponents they must prepare to face.

Before South Africa reach that stage, however, their next fixture will come in the second round of the Olympic qualifying competition. The Banyana Banyana are scheduled to play Madagascar over two legs in October.

That two-match Olympic qualifying tie will be South Africa’s immediate competitive priority, while Ghana will focus on the outcome of Thursday’s draw and the preparation required for the intercontinental play-offs later in the year. Both teams remain in the race for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 despite their quarter-final exits, with their qualification hopes now depending on the next stage.