Sports
Satellites must dream big again
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A couple of days ago, Ghana’s national youth team – Black Satellites, were drawn into Group C of the 2021 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations to be staged in Mauritania.
Though the focus of many fans may have been stolen away by COVID-19 concerns, the cynosure would still be on the youth team whose string of stunningly sterling performances in the past dazzled all, and won them thousands of disciples across the world.
Guess nobody has yet forgotten about the 2009 historic feat of the Satellites (led by Andre Dede Ayew) who became Africa’s only side to annex the FIFA Under-20 World Cup staged in Egypt?
Ahead of that bravado at the global stage, the brave Ghanaians in the same year had conquered the continent in Rwanda, beating Cameroon in the grand finale to clinch the diadem for the third time since its inception in 1979.
Sadly, since that historic feat, the Satellites have been struggling fatally as they have been swatted aside on a number of occasions in qualifiers to the World Cup.
Indeed, the team’s finest performance on the African stage in recent times was a third-place finish in 2015, six years ago.
In less than three weeks, specifically on February 14 (Valentine Day), the Satellites will begin yet another campaign to hunt for a ticket to the World Cup to be held in Indonesia, later in the year.
It appears that this time, the omen is good – perhaps, so it looks.
In December of last year, the Satellites sprang from behind to upset Burkina Faso 2-1, swaggering away with the WAFU B U-20 Championship trophy at the Stade Charles De Gaulles in Porto Novo in Benin. It was a thrilling piece of news, particularly for the Kurt Okraku Ghana Football Association (GFA) administration.
Dead-ball specialist Percious Boah was the Black Satellites hero, as he set up a goal before firing the winner from a free-kick to hand his country the title in the Benin capital. It was the crucial dazzler that took Ghana to the Mauritania 2021 championship where they would begin their campaign against Tanzania, then take on Morocco before squaring off with The Gambia in their final game.
As the team put their act together in preparation for the Mauritanian challenge, we can only wish them the best of luck, but urge the handlers to select a solidly winsome side capable of bringing honour to the nation.
We need players who aside from their skill and dexterity, would be prepared to die on the pitch for the result – rather than give up when they go down. We need a squad that is patriotic and willing to drive beyond the normal distance.
We need a doughty-charactered bunch of players who would see the Holy Grail and dash for it with all the strength and might they can muster. We need a team that is famished for glory and would not be swayed by anything aside a resolution to fetch gold.
The players that carved the historic feat of 2009 are not super humans. They are not out-of-this-world. They were simply fearless characters who dared to dream and pursued their ambition – ambition to carry Ghana aloft and make her the first African country to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. And, it was done – and accomplished in style as no other team but Brazil were beaten in the final for the Golden Fleece.
All eyes on you, Satellites. Make the nation proud again!
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGAH
The Black Queens kick off their 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations journey on Wednesday, July 29, when they take on Cape Verde in their Group C opener in Morocco.
Coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his team go into the match full of confidence after weeks of intensive preparations.
The Queens held a successful pre-tournament training camp and played friendly matches to fine-tune ahead of the competition.
With morale high, Ghana’s senior women’s team will be targeting maximum points to get their campaign off to the perfect start.
The match is set for 5:00 PM GMT at the Moulay Rachid Stadium.
Football fans across Ghana will be watching closely, hoping the Queens can secure a positive result and lay the foundation for a memorable WAFCON 2026 run.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
With the World Cup fever gradually dying down, attention would switch to other equally important competitions from now to the latter parts of the year.
Barely a week after the global football showpiece that saw Spain upstaged Argentina as World Champions, over 70 countries gathered in Glasgow, Scotland for the Commonwealth Games that is attracting hundreds of athletes from the Commonwealth community.
Equally, 16 top female national teams in Africa would commence competition for the bragging rights as African champions when the delayed Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 kicks off in Morocco tomorrow.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria are usually considered favourites for this showpiece, having shown the strength and character to dominate the game on the continent.
As defending champions, they come in strongly again, expected to face a more difficult sides like the Black Queens of Ghana, Zambia and Morocco who have been touted as possible teams to cause an upset.
Of the 16 qualified teams, nine featured at the previous edition held in 2024.
Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tunisia, who qualified in 2024, missed out this time, while Cape Verde and Malawi will make their first appearance in the tournament.
Today, The Spectator Sports takes a look at some of the teams expected to rub shoulders with the big guns in the female game.
Cameroon
After missing the previous edition, Cameroon returns to the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 determined to re-establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
The Indomitable Lionesses, one of the continent’s most successful women’s national teams, secured a place at the expanded 16-team tournament after receiving a second chance through CAF’s revised qualification system.
Now, under newly appointed head coach Valentine Nguele and inspired by emerging midfield star Naomi Eto, Cameroon will be aiming not only to reclaim their place among Africa’s leading nations but also to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cameroon boasts one of the richest histories in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Indomitable Lionesses have reached the final on three occasions—in 2004, 2014 and 2016—but are still searching for their first continental title.
Their consistency has also been reflected in three third-place finishes in 2002, 2012 and 2018, giving Cameroon six podium finishes overall.
Only Nigeria and South Africa have accumulated more top-three finishes in the history of the competition, underlining Cameroon’s long-standing status among Africa’s leading women’s football nations.
Zambia
After finishing third in 2022 and falling short of expectations at the 2024 edition, Zambia head to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 determined to establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
With one of the continent’s most feared attacking units and new head coach Nora Häuptle at the helm, the Copper Queens will be aiming to lift the Women’s AFCON trophy for the first time.
Barbra Banda remains one of the biggest names in African women’s football.
The Orlando Pride striker has established herself among the leading forwards in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and returns to international competition after recovering from a hip injury suffered late last year.
Powerful, direct and clinical in front of goal, Banda will once again spearhead Zambia’s attack as the Copper Queens pursue their first continental title.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (Stallions Ladies) return to the competition determined to make history after missing the 2024 edition. Encouraged by an impressive qualifying campaign, the Stallions Ladies head to Morocco aiming to progress beyond the group stage for the first time.
Burkina Faso secured qualification with convincing victories over Burundi and Togo.
The Stallions Ladies defeated Burundi 5-1 on aggregate, following a commanding 4-1 first-leg victory before completing the job with a 1-0 win in the return fixture.
They carried that momentum into the final qualifying round against Togo, winning 2-0 in the first leg before sealing qualification with another 1-0 victory to complete a 3-0 aggregate success.
Nigeria
Reigning champions Nigerias head to Morocco 2026 looking to extend their remarkable record in the competition. With 10 continental titles to their name, the Super Falcons remain the most successful team in the tournament’s history..
Led by Captain Rasheedat Ajibade and head coach Justine Madugu, Nigeria once again begin the competition among the favourites.
Nigeria secured qualification to Morocco 2026 by defeating Benin 3-1 on aggregate in the second round of qualifying.
Having received a bye in the opening round, the Super Falcons took control of the tie with a 2-0 away victory in Cotonou.
They completed the job in Abeokuta, drawing 1-1 in the second leg after Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring before Benin equalised through Yasmine Djibril.
The result ensured another successful qualification campaign for the reigning African champions.
Cote d’Ivoire
After a 12-year absence from Africa’s biggest women’s football competition, Côte d’Ivoire returns to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations aiming to re-establish themselves among the continent’s leading nations.
The Elephants secured an unexpected route back to the finals following the expansion of the tournament from 12 to 16 teams.
Now guided by experienced French coach Reynald Pedros and inspired by prolific striker Habibou Ouedraogo, Côte d’Ivoire believe they have the talent to challenge Africa’s established powers once again.
The Elephants were knocked out in the final qualifying round after a fiercely contested tie against Senegal. Neither side managed to score across the two legs, with Senegal eventually prevailing 5-4 on penalties to deny the Ivorians automatic qualification.
Following the expansion of the Women’s AFCON from 12 to 16 participating teams, CAF allocated the additional places based on the FIFA Women’s World Ranking.
⚽ Group A: Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Kenya,
⚽ Group B: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania
⚽ Group C: Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Malawi
⚽ Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde
By Andrew Nortey
