The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has ordered the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU-B qualifying final between Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa Ladies to resume from the end of normal time. This decision follows an appeal by Ampem Darkoa Ladies over the handling of the final, played in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 5 September. The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes and proceeded directly to a penalty shootout, which Edo Queens won 4-1.
Ampem Darkoa Ladies protested the decision, prompting the Ghana Football Association to submit an official complaint to CAF on behalf of the club. CAF's organising committee for women’s football reviewed the matter and found that the match officials failed to apply the competition regulations correctly. Specifically, they cited Article 72.4, which requires a final level after 90 minutes to go into 30 minutes of extra time.
According to CAF, Article 72.4 stipulates that if the score remains level after extra time, the match should proceed to penalty kicks. Additionally, Article 13.1 states that the technical criteria applicable to the final tournament also apply to zonal qualifying competitions. As a result, CAF annulled the outcome of the penalty shootout and ordered the final to resume from where it ended after 90 minutes.
The two teams will play the required 30 minutes of extra time, with penalties to follow if the scores remain level. CAF rejected Ampem Darkoa's request for the entire match to be replayed. The governing body directed that the continuation be played at the same venue in Ouagadougou, with the exact date and kick-off time to be determined by the WAFU-B executive committee.
The winner of the contest will retain the region's qualification place at the 2026 CAF Women's Champions League. This ruling gives Ampem Darkoa another opportunity to secure qualification after Edo Queens appeared to have won the decisive regional fixture on penalties. The match had been played in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, as part of the WAFU-B qualifying process.
CAF's decision aims to ensure that the competition regulations are applied uniformly and fairly. By ordering extra time, CAF upholds the principles of fair play and transparency in the qualifying process. The governing body has a responsibility to ensure that all matches are conducted in accordance with established rules and regulations.
The final decision on the qualification spot will be determined after the conclusion of the match, including any extra time and potential penalty kicks. The 2026 CAF Women's Champions League is a significant competition, and the WAFU-B zone's representative will be determined through a fair and transparent process, as overseen by CAF.
Key points
- CAF orders extra time in the WAFU-B Qualifiers final between Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa.
- The decision follows an appeal by Ampem Darkoa Ladies over the handling of the final.
- The match will resume from the end of normal time, with 30 minutes of extra time to be played.
