2026 WAFU B U-17 Championship: Black Starlets face Ivory Coast for U17 AFCON place

The Black Starlets of Ghana will take on Ivory Coast in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship on Tuesday, with a place at the 2027 Africa U17 Cup of Nations at stake.

The match is scheduled for 16:00 GMT at the 4th August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with victory guaranteeing the winner a place in the final and qualification for next year’s continental tournament in Morocco.

The Black Starlets have enjoyed an unbeaten run in the competition, finishing top of Group A with seven points from three matches.

They opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Togo before recording an impressive 3-1 win against Benin. Ghana then held hosts Burkina Faso to a goalless draw in their final group match.

Head coach Kassim Ocansey and his technical team have been preparing the squad for the crucial encounter, with the coach expressing confidence in his players ahead of the showdown.

Ocansey said preparations had gone well and revealed that his technical team had closely assessed the Ivorians in readiness for the semi-final.

The former Nations FC coach has also stressed the importance of the fixture, describing it as even more significant than the final because of the qualification ticket on offer.

He is confident Ghana can overcome their West African rivals and achieve their primary objective of securing a place at the 2027 U17 AFCON.

Ivory Coast booked their place in the last four after finishing second in Group B. They drew 1-1 with Nigeria in their final group match to set up a meeting with the unbeaten Ghanaian side.

With a place at the continental tournament within reach, the Black Starlets will be determined to maintain their unbeaten record, defeat the Ivorians and move one step closer to lifting the WAFU Zone B title.