Ghana’s Black Starlets will meet Ivory Coast in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship after the Ivorians finished second in Group B.
Ivory Coast secured their place in the last four with a 1-1 draw against Nigeria on Saturday. The result set up a decisive meeting with Ghana, who topped Group A without losing a match.
The first semi-final will be played on Tuesday at 16:00 GMT. A place in the final and qualification for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco will both be at stake.
Ghana completed the group stage with seven points from three matches under coach Kassim Ocansey. They began with wins over Togo and Benin before drawing 0-0 with hosts Burkina Faso in their final fixture.
The Black Starlets scored four goals and conceded once, finishing at the top of Group A. Their unbeaten run has put them within one victory of reaching the tournament final and securing a place at the continental competition in Morocco.
Ivory Coast finished behind Niger in Group B to earn the semi-final meeting with Ghana. The two sides now face a match with consequences beyond progress to the final, as the winner will qualify for the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana will also be seeking to preserve their unbeaten record against Ivory Coast when the teams meet. The Black Starlets are continuing their pursuit of the WAFU Zone B U17 title, while victory would guarantee their participation in the competition in Morocco.
For Ivory Coast, the semi-final represents an opportunity to reach the final and claim qualification. However, defeat would mean missing out on the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations through this tournament.
