Ghana’s Black Starlets have failed to qualify for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship on Tuesday.
The loss at the 4th August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, brought Ghana’s impressive campaign to an abrupt end and denied them a place at the 2027 U-17 AFCON in Morocco.
The Black Starlets had reached the last four as one of the tournament’s standout teams, topping Group A with seven points from three matches. They opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Togo before defeating Benin 3-1 and concluding the group stage with a goalless draw against hosts Burkina Faso.
Côte d’Ivoire, who finished second in Group B behind Nigeria, proved a tougher obstacle in the knockout stage, edging Ghana by a solitary goal to secure a place in the final and qualification for the continental championship.
Ahead of the encounter, head coach Kassim Ocansey described the semi-final as the most important match of the tournament due to the qualification stakes attached to it. However, his side could not produce the result needed despite their strong performances in the group phase.
The defeat is a major disappointment for the Black Starlets, whose hopes of returning to the U-17 AFCON have once again been dashed.
Ghana will now shift focus to rebuilding the team and preparing for future youth competitions as they look to return stronger on the continental stage.
