Black Starlets to play in U17 AFCON due to expansion

Despite finishing fourth at the recently held WAFU Zone B Championship in Accra, Ghana's Black Starlets may get a chance to compete in the next U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Algeria.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to discuss increasing the number of teams participating in the U17 AFCON at their upcoming meeting on Friday, June 21, 2024.

CAF is likely to double the number of participating teams from 12 to 24, which could enable Ghana to secure automatic qualification for the championship. 

This expansion aligns with FIFA’s decision to increase the number of teams in the World Cup to 48, granting Africa 10 spots in the global event.

Initially, only the top two teams from each zone would qualify. However, if CAF confirms its decision, the best four teams from each zone, including Ghana, will qualify for next year’s U-17 AFCON, providing them an opportunity to compete for a spot in the World Cup in Qatar.

The Ghana U17 team started the WAFU Championship with a strong performance, defeating Ivory Coast 5-1 and Benin 2-0 to secure a spot in the semi-finals.

However, their hopes were dashed when they lost 2-1 to Burkina Faso missing the boat to the final. They then finished in fourth place after a 3-2 defeat in the third-place playoff against Nigeria.

The Black Starlets last played at the AFCON in 2017.