The result ended Ghana’s hopes of making history by reaching the knockout stage of the competition for the first time. The Black Princesses, appearing at the tournament for the eighth consecutive time, were aiming to progress beyond the group phase for the first time in their history.

France dominated the second half after a goalless opening period, scoring four goals to secure victory and finish top of Group C.

Ghana finished bottom of the group with three points from three matches. They began the tournament with a 3-0 defeat to Ecuador before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over Korea Republic. However, the heavy loss to France brought their campaign to an end.

France and Korea Republic secured automatic qualification to the knockout stage after finishing first and second respectively in Group C. Ecuador, who finished third after defeating Ghana but losing to both France and Korea Republic, will now wait to see if they qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams.

With some groups yet to complete their final matches, Ecuador’s fate remains undecided as the competition determines the teams that will advance to the knockout stage.

For the Black Princesses, the search continues for a historic first appearance in the knockout rounds of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

After a goalless first half, Ghana finally broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute when Sarah Nyarko found the back of the net with a long-range effort to give the Black Princesses the lead.

Ghana doubled their advantage just three minutes later, with Ivy Osei Owusu producing a brilliant chip over the Korean goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

The Black Princesses continued to control the game and extended their lead in the 84th minute through Ruth Amponsah, who made it 3-0 with six minutes of normal time remaining.

Korea Republic pulled one back in the fifth minute of added time, but Ghana held on to secure a valuable 3-1 victory and claim their first three points of the tournament.

The win gives the Black Princesses a much-needed boost ahead of their final Group C fixture against France on Saturday, September 12.

Ghana must now produce another strong performance against the French side as they fight for a place in the knockout stage.

Ecuador made a fast start at the Arena Sosnowiec, scoring twice in the first half to take a 2-0 lead into the break.

Ghana were dealt an early setback in goal when Najat Abdul Salam was replaced by Precious Akanguwie in the 19th minute.

The Black Princesses tried to respond after the break but struggled to find a way through the Ecuadorian defence. Ecuador added a third goal in the second half to complete a 3-0 victory.

The defeat leaves Ghana needing a strong response in their remaining two group matches as they continue their quest to progress beyond the group stage for the first time.

The Black Princesses entered the tournament after a series of international friendlies as part of their preparations.

They opened their friendly campaign in Poland with an impressive 4-0 victory over Polish side Ślęza Wrocław before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to Mexico in their final pre-World Cup friendly.

The Black Princesses will now turn their attention to their second Group C fixture against Korea Republic on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Ghana will face Korea Republic at the Arena Sosnowiec at 4:00pm GMT, before completing their group campaign against France on Saturday, September 12, at the same venue and time.

With two games remaining, the Black Princesses will need to pick up points against Korea Republic and France to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.

The Ghanaian youngsters delivered a dominant display, with four different players getting on the scoresheet as they continued their build-up ahead of the global tournament scheduled for September 5 to 27, 2026, in Poland.

Jacqueline Ntoso opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a brilliant finish to give the Black Princesses a 1-0 lead heading into the break.

Ghana returned stronger after recess and doubled their advantage in the 67th minute when Priscilla Mensah converted a fine pass from Ruth Amponsah to make it 2-0.

Ruth Amponsah then got on the scoresheet three minutes later, adding the third goal in the 70th minute before Diana Amoako completed the scoring in the 87th minute with a powerful long-range strike to seal a convincing victory.

The friendly forms part of Ghana’s final preparations as the Black Princesses aim to make a strong impression at their eighth consecutive FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup appearance.

Ghana have been drawn in Group C alongside France, Korea Republic and Ecuador. They will begin their campaign against Ecuador on Sunday, September 6, at the Arena Sosnowiec, before facing Korea Republic on September 9 and France on September 12. All three group matches will kick off at 16:00 GMT.

The Black Princesses will be hoping their preparations in Poland continue on a positive note as they chase a historic first qualification from the group stage at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Head Coach Charles Sampson revealed the extent of Ghana’s injury situation, confirming that the team travelled to Poland without some key players who were expected to contribute to the squad’s campaign.

Appiah Asamoah’s absence comes as a big blow to the Black Princesses, with the forward having emerged as one of Ghana’s brightest young talents.

The attacker has also featured prominently for the Black Maidens, playing an important role in Ghana’s qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. The tournament will be staged from October 17 to November 7, 2026, and Ghana will be hoping to have her available for the global competition if she makes a full recovery.

Alongside Appiah Asamoah, goalkeeper Asana Osman, Grace Andoh and Jenna Kayla Sarpong have also been ruled out, while Mercy Attobrah, Mary Amponsah and Captain Linda Owusu Ansah complete the list of unavailable players.

The injury crisis presents a difficult challenge for Coach Charles Sampson as Ghana prepares for their eighth consecutive appearance at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The Black Princesses will begin their Group C campaign against Ecuador on Sunday, September 6, at the Arena Sosnowiec before facing Korea Republic on September 9 and France on September 12. All three matches are scheduled for 16:00 GMT.

Ghana will be aiming to make history in Poland by progressing beyond the group stage for the first time in their eighth appearance at the tournament.

While the absence of key players is a setback, the Black Princesses technical team will now look to the available squad members to step up as Ghana prepares for another global challenge.

The 17-member squad, together with the technical team, left Ghana after completing a rigorous preparation programme aimed at ensuring the team is fully ready for the tournament scheduled for September 5 to 27, 2026.

The team intensified preparations at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, where they have been in camp since July 5, 2026, undergoing training sessions and building team chemistry ahead of the competition.

The Black Princesses who have been drawn in Group C will begin their campaign against Ecuador on September 6, 2026, before facing Korea Republic and France in their remaining group-stage fixtures.

The tournament in Poland will bring together the finest U-20 women’s teams globally, with Ghana aiming to fly the flag high for African football and make a memorable impact at the competition.

The presentation took place at the Erata Hotel on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, and was jointly led by Cabfix Ladies FC and the Millennium Supporters Union of Ghana (MISUGHA) as part of a growing national initiative focused on menstrual health support and the overall well-being of women in football.

Cabfix Ladies FC, under the leadership of CEO Jerod Kabu, donated 15 boxes of sanitary pads alongside bottled water for the team. The Millennium Supporters Union of Ghana, led by National Organiser Ibrahim Adam Gbani, also contributed assorted drinks to complement the package, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the intervention.

The donation to the Black Princesses follows a similar welfare intervention earlier in the year involving Ghana’s U-17 women’s national team, the Black Maidens. During their preparations for their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, the Maidens also received sanitary pad support at a training session at the Accra Sports Stadium. That earlier initiative was part of a broader menstrual health campaign backed by Cabfix Ladies FC and supported by the Office of the Vice President, which provided sanitary products to promote dignity and care for female athletes.

Together, the two interventions reflect a growing and structured approach to supporting women’s football in Ghana, with emphasis not only on performance but also on health, dignity, and player welfare.

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026 will take place from September 5 to 27, 2026.

The young shot-stopper featured in both qualifying matches against Uganda as Ghana sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory to book an eighth consecutive appearance at the global tournament, scheduled to take place in Poland from September 5 to 27, 2026.

For Belinda, the qualification marks a significant milestone — her first qualification with a national team — and another major step in what has been a remarkable rise through the ranks of women’s football in Ghana.

Before her breakthrough with the Black Princesses, Belinda had already built a strong reputation at youth level. During the 2025 Elite U-15 Girls Championship, she represented the Greater Accra Regional Team and delivered a flawless campaign between the posts.

Across six matches, the talented goalkeeper recorded six clean sheets. Her outstanding performances earned her the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award, further confirming her immense potential.

At club level, Belinda has also been exceptional for Division One side Cabfix Ladies FC. She kept four clean sheets in 12 league appearances during the just-ended Women’s Division One League season despite missing matches due to national team assignments.

Her performances in the Women’s FA Cup particularly drew attention. She notably kept a clean sheet against Oaks FC — the women’s side of Accra Hearts of Oak SC and a Women’s Premier League club — helping Cabfix Ladies secure a famous 1-0 victory in the Round of 64.

Belinda also impressed against top-flight side Jonina Ladies in the FA Cup Round of 32, producing a series of remarkable saves that earned praise for her reflexes, composure, and positioning under pressure.

On the international stage, the young goalkeeper announced her arrival in style with the Black Maidens. She kept a clean sheet on her debut as Ghana defeated Togo 2-0 in the first leg of their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier.

She followed it up with another composed display in the return leg, recording her second consecutive clean sheet as Ghana completed an emphatic 8-0 aggregate victory.

With confidence growing and her stock continuing to rise, Belinda now turns her attention to the next challenge ahead.

The Black Maidens are set to face Liberia in the second round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, with the first leg scheduled between May 22 and 24, before the return encounter on May 30.

For Belinda Maku Aklie, the journey is only just beginning.

Uganda made a bright start to the decisive encounter, taking the lead in just the 6th minute after a deflection involving Precious Asante wrong-footed the Ghanaian defense.

But the Princesses responded strongly and gradually settled into the game, with captain Linda Owusu Ansah once again leading from the front. The skipper produced a superb free-kick equalizer to restore parity and put Ghana firmly back in control of the tie.

Ghana’s challenge became tougher in the 68th minute when Margaret Agyapomaa was sent off after accidentally stepping on a Ugandan player in a decision many would consider harsh, as there appeared to be no malicious intent in the incident.

Despite going down to ten players, the Black Princesses showed composure, resilience, and tactical discipline to hold on and secure qualification.

The result completed a hard-fought two-legged triumph for Ghana, who had earlier secured a 2-1 comeback victory in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, May 3, 2026. In that encounter, Uganda took the lead before second-half goals from Priscilla Mensah and Latifa Abesik turned the game around for the Princesses.

Ghana’s road to Poland 2026 has been impressive. The Princesses began their campaign with a dominant 4-0 aggregate victory over Tunisia before edging past South Africa 3-2 on aggregate to book a place in the final qualifying round against Uganda.

The tournament is scheduled to take place in Poland from September 5 to 27, 2026, with Ghana now set for an eighth consecutive appearance on the global stage.

The Princesses were forced to dig deep after Uganda’s Agnes Nabukenya handed the visitors the lead in the 32nd minute, momentarily silencing the home crowd. But Ghana returned from the break with renewed intensity, turning the tide of the game in impressive fashion.

Substitute Priscilla Mensah ignited the comeback in the 58th minute with a powerful header to restore parity, shifting momentum firmly in Ghana’s favour. Despite sustained pressure, Uganda’s goalkeeper delivered an outstanding performance, pulling off a string of saves to keep her side in contention.

The breakthrough eventually came in the 85th minute when Latifa Abesik, another substitute, finished off a brilliant move after a well-delivered pass from Jessica Appiah to secure the winner. Ghana nearly extended their lead late on, but Priscilla Mensah was twice denied by the woodwork.

The match also saw Belinda Maku Aklie make her debut for the Black Princesses, marking a significant milestone on a crucial night for the team.

Attention now shifts to the return leg scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the FUFA Stadium in Kampala, with kick-off set for 1:00 pm, where Ghana will aim to seal qualification to the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland from September 5 to 27.

Uganda’s home form suggests the tie is far from decided, as they held Zambia to a 1-1 draw in their last qualifier in Kampala and earlier recorded a commanding 3-0 victory over Namibia on home soil, underlining their ability to stay competitive and dangerous in front of their fans.

However, Ghana will draw confidence from their strong away performances, having secured a 1-0 win over South Africa on the road and a convincing 2-0 victory against Tunisia away in the previous rounds.

With a place at Poland 2026 within touching distance, the Black Princesses carry the advantage, but must deliver one more disciplined performance in Kampala to complete the job and secure an eighth consecutive appearance on the global stage.