‘Every match is preparation for the World Cup’ – Black Maidens boss on WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup

Nana Joe Adarkwa, the head coach of the Black Maidens, emphasizes that his team is utilizing the 2026 WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup as a means to prepare for the upcoming FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Ghana is set to make its first appearance at the U-17 World Cup after serving a CAF ban in July 2022 for age cheating. Adarkwa’s side will compete in Morocco for the prestigious tournament, which commences next month in Rabat.

However, the team is presently using the WAFU B competition as a preparatory ground for the World Cup. After a positive performance against Burkina Faso in their opening match on Tuesday night, Adarkwa expressed his happiness with the team's progress and their aspirations for the World Cup. "Every match is a preparation match for Ghana, and we are happy," Adarkwa stated to the press following the victory.

Adarkwa further highlighted that all departments within the team are in great shape. "We have started on a good note, and we are hoping that we are going to end on a good note," he remarked. "We can score goals at any time, but we want to continue here so that when we get there (at the World Cup), we can do the same." The coach also acknowledged the presence of players who previously participated in the qualifiers and later joined the U-20 team, which competed in Poland.

Despite their absence from the current squad, these players' experience and skills contribute to the team's overall quality. "We used to score more goals when we were playing the qualifiers, and we have about three or four players in the U-20 team who went to Poland, and they are back," Adarkwa added. "They are not in the team, so we have quality all the time, and we are happy to have them all the time."