WAFCON 2026: Black Queens Crash Out After 2–1 Quarter-Final Defeat to Malawi
The Black Queens of Ghana have crashed out of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after suffering a 2–1 defeat to debutants Malawi in their quarter-final clash in Rabat.
Ghana made a strong start to the second half when Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah fired the Black Queens into the lead in the 70th minute.
However, their advantage lasted just five minutes, with Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga quickly restoring parity to bring the game level.
Ghana struggled to regain control as the match progressed, with Malawi growing in confidence and creating more pressure.
The debutants completed their comeback in the 79th minute when Rose Kadzere scored the decisive goal to put Malawi ahead.
The Black Queens pushed desperately for an equaliser in the closing stages but were unable to break down a determined Malawi defence.
The result sends Malawi into the WAFCON semi-finals for the first time, while Ghana’s hopes of lifting the continental title come to an end at the quarter-final stage.
The defeat also means Ghana have missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
However, the Black Queens still have an opportunity to qualify for the global tournament through the intercontinental play-offs, where they will face Côte d’Ivoire for a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
For the Black Queens, it is a disappointing end to their WAFCON campaign, while Malawi continue their historic run on their debut appearance at the tournament.
