Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to Malawi in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, August 9, 2026, has ended the Black Queens’ hopes of securing one of Africa’s four automatic places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

However, Ghana’s World Cup dream is still alive.

The four WAFCON semi-finalists have secured direct qualification to next year’s tournament in Brazil.

Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon and Malawi are the four teams that have achieved that feat after winning their respective quarter-final matches.

Algeria defeated Côte d’Ivoire 2-1, Morocco beat South Africa 2-1, Cameroon eliminated Nigeria and Malawi stunned Ghana 2-1.

Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa and Nigeria, as the four losing quarter-finalists, will now have another opportunity to qualify.

The Black Queens will face Côte d’Ivoire in the African play-off on Thursday, August 13, 2026.

The two teams will meet in a decisive play-off, with the winner securing one of Africa’s two places in the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament. (

This means Ghana must first beat Côte d’Ivoire to keep its World Cup hopes alive.

Losing that match would end the Black Queens’ campaign for Brazil 2027.

If Ghana wins, however, qualification is still not guaranteed.

The Black Queens would then become one of CAF’s two representatives at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament.

The tournament features teams from different confederations competing for the final three World Cup places.

The first phase of that tournament is scheduled for November and December 2026.

Six teams will participate in this phase, including the two African representatives, two teams from Asia, one from Oceania and one from South America.

The top two teams from this phase will advance to the final stage. (FIFA⁠)

In February 2027, those two teams will join four other sides in the final phase of the intercontinental play-offs.

The six teams will be divided into three knockout pathways, with the winner of each pathway earning a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Therefore, Ghana’s route is now straightforward but extremely difficult.

The Black Queens must first defeat Côte d’Ivoire in the WAFCON play-off.

They would then have to successfully negotiate the intercontinental play-off tournament, including the November–December preliminary phase and, if they advance, the final phase in February 2027.

So, Malawi have ended Ghana’s direct route to Brazil, but they have not ended the Black Queens’ World Cup dream.

Ghana still needs to win two stages of play-offs to secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

FKA/AM