Coach Kim Lars Brokegren has confirmed his final list of 25 players for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with no major surprises.
An initial provisional list of 27 players was submitted to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and yesterday, the coach confirmed the final list confirmed two days before the start of the 14th edition of the tournament, which kicks off in Morocco on Sunday.
Defenders Ernestina Abambilla, who plays for Hungarian side ETO Győrand, and Louisa Aniwaa, who also plays for Portuguese side Valadares, were the two who missed the WAFCON 2026 boat.
In their places, newcomer Benedicte Simon, who plays for Swiss champions, and attacker Ajegipina Zakaria of Ampem Darkoa Ladies made the cut.
Zakaria is one of three local players on the list who made it. The other local players are goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan Findab, who plays for Samartex Ladies and Jonina Ladies’ Huzeima Osman
Coach Brokegren has kept faith with almost the entire squad that played in the 2024 WAFCON, with only four new players, reflecting his intention of doing better than the third-place finish on his first WAFCON last year.
The 16-nation tournament opens on Sunday with Group A fixtures of hosts Morocco playing Kenya and Senegal playing Algeria.
Ghana, drawn in Group D, will have to wait till Wednesday to play their opening game against newcomers, Cabo Verde. Cameroun and Mali will play in the other group fixture.
Three-time silver medalists and four-time bronze medalists, the Queens will be out in search of their first WAFCON title and, importantly, also secure one of four slots for Africa for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Their last appearance at the WWC was in China 2007.
Queens’ final squad:
Goalkeepers: Cynthia Konlan (Samartex , Ghana), Afi Amenyeku (Apolonia, Albania), Huzeima Osman (Jonina Ladies)
Defenders: Comfort Yeboah( DUX Logroño), Bénédicte Simon (Servette FC Chênois, Swizerland), Anasthesia Achiaa (ETO Győr), Josephine Bonsu (Carl Zeiss Jena), Portia Boakye (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Alex Tay (Stanford University, USA), Susan Ama Duah (Racing Power, Portugal), Abena Anoma Opoku (East Bengal FC, India),
Midfielders: Jennifer Cudjoe (Brooklyn FC, USA), Grace Asantewaa (Juárez, Mexico), Wasiima Mohammed (Zürich FC, Switzerland), Linda Owusu Ansah (AFC Toronto, Canada), Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah(Nottingham Forest, England),
Forwards: Evelyn Badu (Montreal Roses, Canada), Princella Adubea (Yüksekova, Turkey), Princess Marfo (PSV Eindhoven, the Netherlands), Stella Nyamekye (SK Brann, Norway), Alice Kusi (Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia), Doris Boaduwaa (Hapoel Katamon, Israel), Sharon Sampson (Piteå IF, Sweden), Abigail Kim (Trabzonspor, Turkey) Ajegipina Zakaria ( Ampem Darkoa Ladies, Ghana)
