Ghana’s Black Maidens are set to begin their 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign in April, marking the team’s return to international competition after serving a suspension over age-related violations.

In the opening round, Nana Joe Adarkwa’s side will face Togo, with the winner advancing to play either Liberia or Libya in the next stage of the qualifiers.

The draw for the African qualifiers was held on Saturday in Rabat, officially launching the continent’s journey to the Morocco 2026 tournament.

First-round matches are scheduled to take place between April 10 and 19, with first-leg fixtures kicking off on April 10 and return legs set for April 17.

A total of 31 African nations will compete in the qualifiers, which will be played over three knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis.

At the end of the third round, four teams will earn qualification to represent Africa at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in Morocco.