Black Maidens chase history as Joe Adarkwa targets Ghana’s first U-17 Women’s World Cup title

Ghana’s Black Maidens are aiming to make history at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, with head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa saying the team wants to win the tournament after reaching the Round of 16.

The Ghanaian lads face Argentina on Wednesday, October 28, in Salé, Morocco, with victory needed to secure a place in the quarter-finals and keep their dream of lifting the trophy alive.

Argentina enter the knockout stage with confidence after collecting six points from three group matches, winning twice and suffering one defeat. The South Americans are making their first appearance at the tournament and will be determined to extend their impressive debut campaign.

However, the Black Maidens boast greater experience on the global stage, having competed in several editions since making their debut in 2008.

Ghana’s best finish came in 2012, when they claimed bronze under former head coach Mas-ud Didi Dramani. After losing to France in the semi-finals, the Black Maidens bounced back to defeat Germany in the third-place playoff and secure their only podium finish.

They also reached the quarter-finals in 2014, 2016 and 2018 before missing subsequent editions. Their return to the global stage in 2026 has now given them another opportunity to fight for the ultimate prize.

Speaking to Citi Sports on Tuesday, October 27, Adarkwa said his players had put themselves in the right frame of mind following their defeat to Canada and were ready to respond against Argentina.

“We all saw what happened against Canada, so going forward, they have psyched themselves in terms of motivation, and I know they will deliver against Argentina,” he said.

The Ghana coach explained that reaching the knockout stage was their initial objective, but the team is now determined to push further and compete for the title.

“When we were coming to this World Cup, our first target was to cross the group stage. Now that we’ve done that, we want to push Argentina to one side and keep going. So our target right now is to go for the glory and nothing else.”

With a quarter-final place on the line, the Black Maidens must overcome Argentina to keep their championship ambitions alive.