Ghana's Black Starlets face Ivory Coast in Ouagadougou with a ticket to Morocco 2027 and a WAFU Zone B final spot both on the line.
Ghana's young stars are 90 minutes from continental glory. The Black Starlets will book their place at the 2027 U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco if they get past Ivory Coast in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship on Tuesday.
Kick-off is at 16:00 GMT at the 4th August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. A win would send Ghana into the regional final and lock in qualification for the continental showpiece, turning a tense knockout tie into a defining moment for this generation.
Ghana arrive unbeaten and as winners of Group A, finishing with seven points from three games. They began with a 1-0 victory over Togo, then beat Benin 3-1, before holding hosts Burkina Faso to a goalless draw in the final group match. That draw was enough to take top spot.
Head coach Kassim Ocansey and his staff have spent the build-up studying Ivory Coast and fine-tuning the squad for the occasion. Ocansey says preparations have gone well and he believes his players are ready for the challenge.
He has also made clear where his priorities lie, insisting the semi-final matters even more than the final because the AFCON ticket is decided on Tuesday. For the Black Starlets, everything now comes down to one night against a familiar West African rival.
