Black Queens of Ghana would not have the opportunity to defend their African Games (AG) women’s football title after the criteria for qualification by organisers ruled them out.
Coach Mercy Tagoe's side won the AG title in Congo Brazzaville in 2015 and were hoping to successfully defend the title at this year’s Games in Morocco in August, however, the new qualifying rules by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) allowed only teams that played in the qualifying series and actually made it to the 2018 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), apart from the hosts, to play in the competition.
The tournament schedule released by the organisers of the competition on Wednesday features hosts Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroun, Mali, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Zambia.
Thus as hosts of the 2018 Women's AFCON, Ghana are not eligible and their place taken by the hosts of the African Games, Morocco.
This will be a big disappointment to the Ghanaians as they had hoped to be in Morocco for the tournament and possibly defend the title.