Edo Queens Accept CAF Decision, Set for WAFU-B Final Resumption in Cairo

Edo Queens FC have accepted the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision for the outstanding extra time of their WAFU-B final against Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies to be played on October 29, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt.

In a statement on Thursday, the Nigerian club said the outcome of its appeal was not what it had hoped for. However, following consultations with its board, the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the club decided to proceed with the match to ensure the contest is settled on the pitch.

Edo Queens are scheduled to depart for Cairo on Monday, October 26, ahead of the decisive encounter.

“Our mission remains unchanged: to fight, to win and to secure our place in the CAF Women's Champions League,” the club said.

The team also acknowledged the disappointment among its supporters but said it shared their determination to see the matter resolved on the pitch.

“We have chosen to move forward with courage, discipline and resilience,” the statement added.

Edo Queens thanked the Edo State Government and the NFF for their support and representation throughout the appeal process. The club also appreciated its fans and the media for their backing and called on supporters to continue supporting the team ahead of the match.

The club said its players and technical crew remain focused on representing Edo State and Nigeria.

How the WAFU-B final reached this stage

The controversy followed the WAFU-B qualifying final played on September 5, 2026, at the 4th of August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, but the teams proceeded directly to penalties without playing the required two 15-minute periods of extra time. Edo Queens won the shootout 4-1 and were initially declared champions.

Ampem Darkoa, through the Ghana Football Association (GFA), subsequently protested the procedure, arguing that the competition regulations required extra time before a penalty shootout.

CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football upheld the protest in its decision reached on September 26. It ruled that proceeding directly to penalties breached the applicable regulations and annulled the shootout result.

However, CAF did not order a full replay. Instead, it directed that the match resume from the beginning of extra time, with the score at 2-2 after regulation time. If the teams remain level after the additional 30 minutes, a new penalty shootout will determine the winner.

The decision means Edo Queens’ original 4-1 shootout victory no longer determines the qualifying spot. The winner of the resumed match will represent WAFU-B at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament, scheduled to begin in Cairo on November 1.

With the resumption set for October 29, Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa will have another opportunity to settle the regional qualifying final on the pitch.