Edo Queens petition CAF over Cairo  replay loss to Ampem Darkoa

Edo Queens have petitioned the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to annul the resumed WAFU Zone B final, which they lost 3-2 to Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies after extra time on 29 October.

Mohammed Afishata scored the winner in the 92nd minute, handing Ampem Darkoa the sub-regional title and a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt.

In a petition issued through the Executive Chairman’s Office and bearing the Edo State Government’s emblem, the Nigerian side alleges irregularities in the arrangements for the rescheduled fixture.

The dispute stems from the original final, played in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 5 September. It ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, and Edo Queens won the penalty shoot-out 4-1.

CAF’s Organising Committee ruled on 26 September that the shoot-out had no sporting effect and ordered the match to resume from the start of extra time, with the score at 2-2. The CAF Appeal Board upheld that decision on 16 October.

The continuation was moved from Ouagadougou to Cairo, and Edo Queens object to the change. They allege the match was transferred without the confirmation required from WAFU Zone B under CAF’s ruling.

The club also claims it was prevented from fielding eligible players who featured in the original final. It further alleges that its delegation was housed at a military base rather than a conventional team hotel, and that it did not receive clear and timely information on the venue, kick-off time and other match arrangements.

Edo Queens argued that these circumstances undermine the fairness and proper administration of the fixture.

The club has asked CAF to treat the matter as urgent and suspend final confirmation of the WAFU Zone B qualification place until the dispute is resolved. It also wants CAF to declare the 29 October continuation null and void, and to direct WAFU Zone B to produce the venue confirmation, match sheets, substitution records, player eligibility lists and disciplinary records.

Edo Queens are further seeking a full 90-minute replay at the original venue under properly regulated conditions, with eligible players. Failing that, they want to be declared WAFU Zone B winners if a replay cannot be completed before the Champions League begins on 1 November.

Ampem Darkoa, for their part, return to Africa’s premier women’s club competition after featuring in the 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire. The tournament runs in Egypt from 1 to 15 November, and the Ghanaians have been drawn in Group B with Morocco’s AS FAR, Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies and Mali’s USFAS Bamako.

CAF had not responded to the petition at the time of filing this report.

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