Former Black Queens defender Faustina Ampah has expressed confidence that the upcoming 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco will serve as a crucial test of head coach Nora Häuptle’s tactical prowess and leadership abilities.
The tournament, set to showcase Africa’s best women’s football teams, will see the Black Queens face a tough challenge in Group C. Ghana has been drawn alongside defending champions South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, Mali’s Les Aiglonnes, and Tanzania’s Twiga Stars, presenting a significant hurdle for Häuptle and her team.
The WAFCON draw, held at the prestigious Mohammed VI Technical Centre in Salé, Morocco, also placed host nation Morocco in Group A, where they will take on the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Senegal. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Super Falcons, perennial champions of the competition, will headline Group B, which includes Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana.
Häuptle has received accolades for her work with the Black Queens, particularly during the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers. Despite narrowly missing out on qualification after a hard-fought loss to Zambia’s Copper Queens in Lusaka, her efforts earned recognition from both Ghanaian and Zambian supporters.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with CitiSports, Ampah highlighted the importance of the WAFCON tournament for Häuptle:
“We all can agree that we can probably judge her based on tournaments because she has not gone to any tournament with the team yet. The high-profile games she played were against Nigeria or Zambia, and those were good tests.
“With Morocco doing well and having beaten us in friendlies recently, this tournament will show how prepared the team is. Unlike friendly matches, tournaments demand playing every three days, which tests concentration, fitness, and tactical organization. That’s when we can truly assess her abilities.”
The Black Queens will aim to make a strong statement in Morocco as they look to reclaim their position as one of Africa’s top women’s football teams, with Häuptle facing the ultimate test of her coaching tenure.
