FIFA U17 Women's World Cup

Black Maidens: Six players to watch at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

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1 day ago

October 17, 2026

Ghana’s return to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup presents an opportunity for a new generation of Black Maidens to announce themselves on the global stage, with several players arriving in Morocco having already demonstrated their quality during the African qualifiers and the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup.

Head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa’s 21-player squad combines players who played key roles in Ghana’s qualification campaign with young talents who impressed at the regional level. While the Black Maidens will need collective effort to navigate a challenging Group C featuring Norway, Brazil and Canada, a number of individuals could prove particularly influential.

Here are six players to watch as Ghana begin their campaign in Morocco.

Seidatu Wahab — Oak Ladies

The Black Maidens captain will be one of Ghana’s key players to watch, having demonstrated her ability to influence matches with goals from different situations.

Wahab scored four goals during the World Cup qualifiers, including a free-kick against Liberia away and a goal in the decisive second leg against Senegal. She also scored in Ghana’s 6-0 victories over Togo and Liberia respectively at home.

Her form continued at the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup, where she scored five goals to finish among the tournament’s leading scorers. She also scored from the penalty spot in Ghana’s recent 2-1 friendly victory over Kenya, giving her another goal ahead of the World Cup.

Wahab’s ability to score from distance, take free-kicks and convert penalties gives Ghana an added attacking threat. As captain, she will also be expected to lead the team through what promises to be a demanding group stage.

Jessica Appiah Asamoah — Epiphany Warriors

Jessica Appiah Asamoah offers Ghana pace, direct running and attacking unpredictability from the wings.

The winger was influential throughout the qualifiers, assisting Priscilla Mensah’s opening goal in Ghana’s 2-0 victory over Togo before registering two assists in the emphatic 6-0 win over the same opponents in the return fixture.

She also found the net in Ghana’s 6-0 victory over Liberia, contributing to a qualifying campaign in which she demonstrated both her ability to create chances and her threat in front of goal.

Jessica’s ability to take on defenders and drive into attacking areas makes her a player opposition defences will need to monitor closely. Her pace and willingness to attack one-on-one situations could give Ghana an important outlet, particularly when looking to exploit space behind opposing full-backs.

An injury kept her out of the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup, meaning the World Cup will provide another opportunity for her to translate her qualifying form onto the international stage.

If she can reproduce that attacking sharpness in Morocco, Jessica could become one of Ghana’s most dangerous players.

Gloria Ameaa Adomako — Ampem Darkoa Ladies

Gloria Ameaa Adomako heads into the World Cup with an impressive regional achievement behind her, having finished as the top scorer at the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup with five goals.

The Ampem Darkoa Ladies forward demonstrated her ability to find the net consistently during the preparatory tournament, giving Ghana an encouraging attacking option ahead of the global competition.

Her scoring record makes her particularly interesting as the Black Maidens prepare to face stronger opposition in Morocco. Against Norway, Brazil and Canada, Ghana will need players capable of making the most of their opportunities, and Gloria’s performance at the WAFU B tournament suggests she could contribute in that area.

The World Cup will represent a different level of challenge, but her regional form provides a strong foundation for the forward to build on as Ghana seek to make an impression.

Priscilla Mensah — Sissamba Ladies

Priscilla Mensah has already shown that she can deliver when Ghana need goals.

She was particularly influential in the opening round of the qualifiers against Togo, scoring both goals in Ghana’s 2-0 away victory. She found the net again in the 6-0 home win over Togo and added another goal in the corresponding victory over Liberia.

Her contributions made her one of Ghana’s notable attacking performers during the qualification campaign.
Priscilla’s ability to convert chances and deliver in important matches will be valuable as the Black Maidens take on higher-ranked opposition in Morocco.

She was unavailable for the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup because she was part of Ghana’s squad for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. That experience of being involved with an older national team group adds another dimension to her story ahead of the U-17 tournament.

With Ghana needing goals to progress from Group C, Priscilla will be among the forwards expected to make their opportunities count.

Christiana Ashiaku — Rootz Sistaz

Christiana Ashiaku is another name to watch, particularly because of her achievements at youth level and her ability to contribute in attacking areas.

At the 2024 WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup, Ashiaku won the Golden Boot after scoring six goals in four matches, including hat-tricks against Benin and Côte d’Ivoire, as Ghana claimed the title.

She has since added another major achievement to her record, captaining Ghana’s Black Damsels to retain the CAF African Schools Football Championship title in Zimbabwe in 2026. The team defeated Burkina Faso in a dramatic 10-9 penalty shoot-out, with Ashiaku earning the tournament’s Best Player award for her performances and leadership.

Alongside Belinda Kpentey and Mavis Koah, Ashiaku was part of the Black Damsels squad that triumphed in Zimbabwe. The trio did not feature in the Black Maidens’ World Cup qualifying campaign or the WAFU B preparatory tournament, making their inclusion in the final squad an additional storyline.

Ashiaku’s previous Golden Boot achievement and Best Player recognition underline her attacking quality and leadership potential. The World Cup will offer her a new test as she steps into a tournament featuring some of the best young players from across the world.

Belinda Maku Aklie — Cabfix Ladies

A strong attack can win matches, but a dependable goalkeeper can be just as important in a tournament of this magnitude. Belinda Maku Aklie will be central to Ghana’s hopes of progressing from the group stage.

The Cabfix Ladies goalkeeper started all six of Ghana’s World Cup qualifying matches and recorded four clean sheets. Her consistency helped the Black Maidens negotiate the qualifying rounds, including the decisive tie against Senegal, which Ghana won on penalties.

Belinda has also made the step up to Ghana’s U-20 side, the Black Princesses. She made her debut in the two-legged World Cup qualifier against Uganda and helped the team secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

At the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup, she started against Côte d’Ivoire and kept a clean sheet in Ghana’s 4-0 victory.

With Norway, Brazil and Canada expected to test Ghana defensively, Belinda’s shot-stopping and composure could prove crucial.

A collective challenge in Morocco

While these six players offer compelling individual storylines, Ghana’s success will ultimately depend on how effectively the entire squad performs as a unit.

Juliana Gyekyewaa and Zeinab Shani also made important contributions during the qualifiers, while Sekinatu Amadu scored in Ghana’s 6-0 victory over Togo. Their attacking contributions provide further options for Adarkwa as he seeks to build a balanced side capable of competing at the highest level.

The presence of four Rootz Sistaz players in the final squad is another notable feature, with Ashiaku, Belinda Kpentey, Mavis Koah and Gyekyewaa representing the club. Ashiaku, Kpentey and Koah also arrive with the experience of winning the 2026 CAF African Schools Football Championship with the Black Damsels.

Ghana’s immediate focus, however, will be on their opening Group C encounter against Norway on October 18 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat. They will then face Brazil on October 21 before concluding the group stage against Canada on October 24.

The Black Maidens have a proud history at the competition, highlighted by their bronze-medal finish in 2012 and three quarter-final appearances. After missing the previous three editions, their return provides a fresh opportunity to build on that legacy.

For Wahab, Jessica, Gloria, Priscilla, Ashiaku and Belinda, Morocco offers a chance to turn impressive performances at regional and qualifying level into memorable moments on the world stage.