Ghana’s Black Queens stand on the brink of glory — just 90 minutes away from booking their ticket to next year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
But on the eve of what should have been a triumphant homecoming, a row over unpaid bonuses threatens to derail the team’s long-awaited return to the continental stage.
The Queens head into Tomorrow’s decisive qualifier against Egypt at the Accra Sports Stadium with a commanding 3-0 first-leg advantage, following a ruthless performance in Ismailia last Thursday. On paper, the job looks all but done.
Yet off the pitch, tensions have reached breaking point.
The team boycotted training last Saturday after returning from Egypt, insisting they would not lace up their boots until their outstanding allowances were paid.
For a side that has fought its way back into continental reckoning under Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren, the standoff comes at the worst possible time.
Reliable sources told the Graphic Sports that players only received their per diems for the previous international window after the first-leg victory and are now demanding all outstanding arrears before resuming preparations for the decisive return fixture.
In a bid to defuse the tension, GFA President Kurt Okraku and Tony Baffoe, the former Ghana international and General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG), held an emergency meeting with the squad in Accra.
However, as of press time yesterday, no resolution had been announced, and uncertainty continues to hang over tomorrow’s showdown.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has remained tight-lipped on the matter, leaving supporters anxious as the clock ticks down.
With qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil dependent on participation at next year’s expanded 16-nation WAFCON, Ghana can ill afford any distractions.
Since Coach Kim Lars Björkegren took charge earlier this year, the Black Queens have rediscovered their rhythm and confidence.
Their resurgence was evident at the 2024 WAFCON in Morocco, where Ghana defied the odds to finish third — their best showing in years.
The turnaround has been so remarkable that Ghana received five nominations at the 2025 CAF Awards, including:
Coach of the Year – Kim Lars Björkegren, Player of the Year – Captain Portia Boakye, Young Player of the Year – Stella Nyamekye, Goalkeeper of the Year – Cynthia Findiib Konlan, and Women’s National Team of the Year – Black Queens.
These accolades underscore Ghana’s rebirth as a continental force in women’s football, a revival that could yet be crowned with a return to the global stage in 2027.
However, all that promise risks being undone by an all-too-familiar enemy: money troubles. For now, the Queens’ fate hangs in the balance — a talented team trapped between the euphoria of success and the frustration of neglect.
All that, however, depends on whether football’s oldest foe, money, will once again rob Ghana’s heroines of their moment in the spotlight.
