Black Queens coach Kim Lars Björkegren believes his side is edging ever closer to Nigeria’s long-held dominance in the women’s game, even as the Super Falcons continue to set the standard on the continent.
The Swedish tactician has revitalised the national team since taking charge, steering Ghana to a bronze-medal finish at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the country’s best run in more than ten years.
He followed that up with an emphatic 7–0 aggregate win over Egypt to book a spot at the 2026 edition of the competition.
“I think we are close,” he told Joy Sports. “Maybe today we need to accept that Nigeria is the number one team in Africa in women’s football. “They won the previous WAFCON, so until the next one, they remain the champions.”
Nigeria’s record speaks for itself: ten WAFCON titles and a history of dominance spanning decades.
Although Ghana recently fell 3–1 to the Super Falcons in a friendly, Björkegren insists the performance proved the gap is narrowing.
“I actually felt that we were the better team at the start. They had the quality to score the goals, and because of that, they always stay in the game.
“Otherwise, I think we are very close to them. But for now, they are the favourites.”