The Black Queens during a game
Ghana’s senior women’s national team, the Black Queens, will face Ivory Coast in an international friendly as part of their build-up to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The test match forms part of a broader preparation programme under head coach Kim Lars Bjokegren, who is working to sharpen the squad’s tactical approach and match readiness ahead of the continental tournament.
As part of these preparations, the Black Queens are also set to compete in the Pink Ladies Cup in the United Arab Emirates from February 28 to March 6, 2026.
The tournament offers Ghana a valuable opportunity to assess player form and team cohesion against varied international opposition.
Ghana will open their Pink Ladies Cup campaign against Hong Kong on February 28 at 16:00 GMT. They will then face Russia on March 3 at the same kickoff time, in what is expected to be a physically demanding encounter. The team will wrap up the group stage with a fixture against Tanzania on March 6 at 21:00 GMT.
Following the UAE tournament, the Black Queens will travel to Morocco for their final preparatory match against Ivory Coast before the start of WAFCON.
At the continental championship, Ghana have been drawn in Group D, where they will come up against Cameroon, Cape Verde, and Mali in the opening round.
The series of friendly and tournament matches is expected to give the technical team a clearer picture of squad depth and tactical options as the Black Queens aim for a strong showing at WAFCON.
BY Wletsu Ransford