Ghana’s Black Starlets have failed to qualify for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship.

The loss ends Ghana’s hopes of returning to the continental competition and also rules the team out of contention for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Black Starlets entered Tuesday’s encounter in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, unbeaten in the tournament, having collected seven points from three group-stage matches to finish top of Group A.

The team opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Togo before recording a 3-1 win against Benin. They subsequently played out a goalless draw against hosts Burkina Faso to seal their place in the semi-finals.

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However, Ghana could not maintain that momentum against the Ivorians, who secured the victory needed to book their place at the continental tournament in Morocco.

The semi-final was effectively a qualification decider, with the winners guaranteed a place at the 2027 U-17 AFCON, while the losing side would miss out.

The defeat is a major setback for Ghana’s youth football ambitions, particularly given the country’s pedigree at the U-17 level.

Ghana won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1991 and 1995, but the latest disappointment means the Black Starlets will have to wait for another qualifying campaign to return to the continental and global stages.

FKA/BAi

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