Ghana’s Black Starlets will meet Ivory Coast in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship on Tuesday, with qualification for the 2027 Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Morocco at stake.
The match will be played at 16:00 GMT at the 4th August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The winner will reach the tournament final and secure a place at next year’s continental competition.
Ghana have reached the last four unbeaten after finishing top of Group A with seven points from their three matches.
They began the tournament with a 1-0 win over Togo before producing a 3-1 victory against Benin. Their final group fixture ended in a goalless draw with hosts Burkina Faso.
Head coach Kassim Ocansey and his technical team have been preparing the squad for the decisive encounter. The former Nations FC coach says preparations have progressed well and that his staff have closely analysed Ivory Coast ahead of the semi-final.
Ocansey has also underlined the importance of the match, saying the fixture carries greater significance than the final because of the qualification place available.
The coach is confident Ghana can defeat their West African opponents and achieve the team’s principal target of reaching the 2027 U17 AFCON.
Ivory Coast advanced to the semi-finals after finishing second in Group B. They secured their place in the knockout stage with a 1-1 draw against Nigeria in their final group match.
Ghana will now seek to preserve their unbeaten record and overcome Ivory Coast to keep their hopes of winning the WAFU Zone B title alive. A victory would send the Black Starlets into the final as well as guarantee their participation in the 2027 Africa U17 Cup of Nations.