The Black Queens of Ghana have been handed a crucial pathway in their bid to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, with the draw for the African qualifiers setting up a second-round clash against the winner of the preliminary tie between Mauritius and Djibouti.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, in Cairo, Egypt, officially marked the start of Africa’s qualification journey for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, scheduled for July 11 to 29, 2028.
The qualification format will see six lower-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar, and Comoros—compete in home-and-away preliminary ties. The winners will progress to join higher-ranked nations in Round 2, set for October 2026.
In the second round, Ghana will be among 32 teams entering the competition, including continental heavyweights such as Nigeria women’s national football team and South Africa women’s national football team, who, alongside Ghana, received byes due to their high rankings.
Ghana currently sits third in Africa and 59th in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings, a position that reflects their growing strength on the continental stage. This ranking places the Black Queens in a favourable position as they aim to navigate a demanding knockout structure that will eventually produce Africa’s two representatives for the Olympic Games.
The competition will progress through five knockout rounds, with the 16 second-round winners advancing to the next stage and continuing until only two African teams remain in contention for Olympic qualification.
For Ghana, this campaign carries added significance. The Black Queens are still chasing their first-ever appearance at the Olympic Games, having narrowly missed out in the previous cycle after a hard-fought elimination at the hands of Zambia women’s national football team in the final qualifying round.
With renewed momentum, a strong ranking, and a favourable draw structure, Ghana will be aiming to finally secure their long-awaited Olympic debut and write a new chapter in their women’s football history.
