Ghana’s Black Maidens have been handed a challenging assignment at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026, after being drawn in Group C alongside football powerhouses Brazil, Canada and Norway.
The tournament, scheduled for October 17 to November 7, 2026, in Morocco, will bring together 24 nations from six confederations competing for the global title.
The Black Maidens return to the competition after missing the previous two editions due to a CAF sanction in 2022. Ghana was suspended from the next two editions of the U17 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which also ruled them out of FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification, and was fined $100,000.
The sanction followed a successful protest by the Moroccan Football Federation, which alleged age violations involving two Ghanaian players. The Ghana Football Association reviewed the evidence but opted not to appeal the ruling. After serving the suspension period, the Black Maidens have now made their return to international competition.
Ghana secured their ticket to Morocco 2026 after a dramatic qualification campaign, defeating Senegal 7-6 on penalties following a 2-2 aggregate scoreline in the final round.
Group C Opponents
Brazil
Brazil enter the tournament as one of the most experienced teams in Ghana’s group. The South Americans have qualified for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup eight times and achieved their best-ever finish in the competition at the 2025 edition, where they placed fourth.
Brazil had previously reached the quarter-finals in 2010, 2012 and 2022, and will be aiming to improve on their recent progress in Morocco.
Canada
Canada will make their ninth appearance at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
At the 2025 tournament, Canada produced an impressive campaign, recording a perfect group-stage record before defeating Zambia in the Round of 16. Their run ended in the quarter-finals against Brazil after a goalless draw was decided by penalties.
With their consistency at youth level, Canada will pose another major test for the Black Maidens.
Norway
Norway will be appearing at only their second FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup after making their debut at the 2025 edition.
Their first campaign proved difficult, as they lost all three group-stage matches, but qualification for Morocco 2026 presents an opportunity for the European side to make a stronger impression on the global stage.
A New Chapter for the Black Maidens
The FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup has been a historic tournament for Ghana, who first appeared in the competition in 2008.
The Black Maidens’ best performance came in 2012 in Azerbaijan, where they won a historic bronze medal after defeating Germany 1-0 in the third-place playoff.
They have also reached the quarter-finals in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022, establishing themselves as one of Africa’s strongest teams at youth level.
After overcoming a difficult period away from international competition, Ghana now faces a demanding group featuring three teams with strong World Cup experience.
The Black Maidens will hope their return to the global stage can mark the beginning of another memorable chapter in Ghana’s women’s football history.
