ACCRA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Football fans in Ghana are optimistic at a top-four finish for the country's senior female national team, the Black Queens, in the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) currently ongoing in Morocco.
The optimism comes despite a challenging group-stage campaign. Ghana opened with a 2-0 victory over Cape Verde before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon and drawing 1-1 with Mali in the last Group D game on Thursday.
Many fans argue that reaching the semifinals would confirm Ghana's resurgence in women's football and further strengthen the Black Queens' reputation as one of Africa's leading national teams.
32-year-old Millicent Adeti believes the Black Queens will put up a spirited performance at the knockout stage of the competition and urges the fans to continue believing in the team's ability to deliver.
"I firmly believe that the Queens will make us proud by qualifying for the top four of the WAFCON. I know the girls themselves will want to make it to the next World Cup and will definitely work hard to get there. I am urging the fans to give them our utmost support just as we did for the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup," she said.
Another football fan, 48-year-old Frederick Adu-Poku, believes the Black Queens have the potential to qualify for the semifinals, but the coach must focus on instilling a team mentality in the girls and also work on their psyche to ensure they play cohesively as a unit.
"Ghana will play against a very formidable side in the quarterfinals, and it is important the coach talk to the girls to work as a team. If he is able to do that, Malawi will not be a match for us," said Adu-Poku.
The 2026 WAFCON, which commenced on July 26 in Morocco, doubles as qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, with the top four booking tickets for the tournament.
So far hosts Morocco, Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon, have qualified for the quarterfinals. ■
