Ghana’s Black Princesses have kept their bid for an eighth consecutive appearance at the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Under-20 Women’s World Cup alive, beating South Africa 1-0 in Nelspruit on Saturday, February 14, 2026, to advance 3-2 on aggregate to the final qualifying round.
The first half at the Nelspruit-Mbombela Stadium ended goalless, but Ghana asserted control after the break. Midfielder Priscilla Mensah proved decisive, striking in the 63rd minute to seal qualification following the 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium. Mensah had come on as a substitute to replace an injured Mary Amponsah shortly after half-time and made an immediate impact, meeting a solo run from the wing and slotting the ball into the bottom left corner.
South Africa pressed for an equaliser and came closest in the 78th minute, but goalkeeper Jenna stood firm to preserve the clean sheet that sent Ghana through.
For the players, the result was about more than qualification. It was about safeguarding a legacy built over nearly a decade of excellence and ensuring Ghana remains a fixture at youth women’s football’s grandest stage.
Head coach Charles Sampson was visibly moved after the final whistle. “The mood is unbelievable. You could see a lot of emotions, even in me. But the gallant ladies remained resolute and stuck to the plan, which paid off. The sort of challenges we had in this particular camp were huge, and so we are excited about the progress,” he said.
Uganda await Ghana in the final qualifying round after eliminating Zambia 2-1 on aggregate, drawing 1-1 at home before recording a crucial 1-0 away win to seal their berth. The winner of the Ghana-Uganda tie will secure one of Africa’s allocated slots at the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be held in Poland from September 5 to 27.
Sampson is already focused on the next challenge. “Our goal is to go to the World Cup and South Africa was supposed to be a challenge for us, so we are extremely happy we could surpass them. Now we will have time to prepare well to face Uganda,” he said.
