Ghana’s Black Starlets are set to begin their 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a challenging Group D encounter against Algeria on Thursday evening in Rabat.
The team returns to the continental stage with strong expectations, drawing on Ghana’s proud youth football history, having previously won the competition in 1995 and 1999.
Ghana booked their place at the tournament after a strong WAFU B qualification campaign under coach Prosper Narteh Ogum, where they reached the final before narrowly losing to Côte d’Ivoire on penalties.
Coach Prosper Narteh Ogum has expressed confidence in his squad ahead of the opening fixture, stating that the players are well motivated and mentally prepared for the challenge.
He explained that the team has undergone intensive preparations in Morocco and emphasized discipline, focus, and efficiency as key factors for success.
The Black Starlets find themselves in a competitive Group D, which also includes Senegal and South Africa, making qualification to the knockout stage and the FIFA U-17 World Cup a tough task.
Despite the difficult group, the technical team remains optimistic that the side has the quality and structure to compete strongly and make a positive start to their tournament campaign.
