Ghana To Host WAFU Cup Next Month, Black Stars Handed Tough Draw

Ghana will host the West Africa Football Union (WAFU) 'Zone B' Cup next month as the home team has been handed a tough draw.

The home-based Black Stars were drawn in Group A to face Sierra Leone, Benin and Burkina Faso in the eight-team regional tournament.

Title holders Togo will play Niger, Senegal and Gabon in Group B.

The tournament, which is for only locally based players, will take place between 21-28 November in Accra.

The winners of each group will progress to the final while the second-placed team in each group will vie for third position.

Senegal, Sierra Leone and Gabon will take part in the tournament as guests.

The launching the Wafu Cup over the weekend is the latest attempt to revive regional competition in West Africa after the tournament was last played in 2011.

Chairman of Wafu Zone B, Kwesi Nyantakyi, who is also the Ghana Football Association President, is confident that the quality of football in the sub-region will continue to grow through tournaments such as the Wafu Cup.

Nyantakyi believes that West Africa has lots to offer the world football.

"The return of the WAFU Cup is a great moment for football on the continent and for international football; this is a special moment for the game in West Africa and the entire continent," Nyantakyi said at the press launch.

"Today, we launch a special tournament that has promoted and created competitive opportunities for players from the sub-region to hone their skills and foster regional integration.

"The past successes of the game have proven that football and the Wafu Cup has grown new territories by bringing people of diverse backgrounds together to compete and share ideas."

Nigeria and Ivory Coast opted not to play in the competition because of the tightness of the local football calendar.

This year's WAFU Cup competition is aimed at giving training opportunity to teams preparing for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in South Africa in January 2014.

The tournament will serve as preparation for Ghana, Burkina Faso and Gabon who will participate in the CHAN tournament meant only for home-based players.

Attached are pictures at the launch which you can freely use. Wafu1 - Wafu Zone B President Kwesi Nyantakyi, (in dark glasses,) and Wafu general secretary Aka Malan holding the trophy along with some sponsors.

From 2013 WAFU Cup Local Organising Committee