CAF Annuls Nigeria’s Edo Queens 4-1 Penalty Win Over Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa, WAFU-B Final to Resume From Extra Time

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has annulled the penalty shootout that initially gave Edo Queens FC victory over Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU Zone B qualifying final.

The decision follows a formal protest by the Ghana Football Association on behalf of Ampem Darkoa after the final ended 2-2 after 90 minutes on September 5, 2026, at the 4th of August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Edo Queens won the subsequent penalty shootout 4-1 and were declared winners. However, CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football has now ruled that the shootout should not have taken place because the required 30 minutes of extra time had not been played.

CAF has therefore annulled the shootout and ordered the match to resume from the beginning of extra time, with the score remaining 2-2.

Why CAF annulled the penalty shootout

According to the reasoned decision issued by CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football, the regulations require extra time to be played when a final is level after 90 minutes.

Article 72.4 of the CAF Women’s Champions League Regulations states that a drawn final must go into two 15-minute periods of extra time. Only if the scores remain level after extra time can the winner be decided by penalties.

Article 13.1 also provides that the technical criteria applicable to the final tournament apply to zonal qualifying competitions.

CAF therefore determined that the direct move from the 2-2 scoreline after 90 minutes to penalties was contrary to Articles 13.1 and 72.4.

The Committee stated that the match officials had initially been informed before the match that extra time would be required if the final was level.

However, during the second half, the referee was instructed to proceed directly to a penalty shootout if the match ended in a draw.

CAF noted that the referee acted on that instruction in good faith.

Importantly, the Committee also determined that neither Edo Queens nor Ampem Darkoa was responsible for the failure to play extra time. According to the decision, the omission resulted from an erroneous administrative instruction and the consequent non-application of the competition regulations by the match officials.

CAF rejects a full replay

Ampem Darkoa had requested that the final either be replayed in full or resumed from the end of regular time at 2-2, followed by extra time and, if necessary, a new penalty shootout.

CAF did not order a complete replay.

The Committee found that the 90 minutes had been validly played and that there was no evidence that the conduct of regular time itself had been affected by the procedural error.

As a result, CAF decided that the 90-minute result would stand.

The continuation will therefore begin from the start of extra time, rather than from the beginning of the match.

What happens next?

Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa will play two 15-minute periods of extra time with the score at 2-2.

If the teams remain level after the additional 30 minutes, a new penalty shootout will be held to determine the winner.

CAF specifically stated that the original 4-1 shootout result has been annulled and has no sporting effect.

The continuation is to be played, as far as practically and legally possible, under the same sporting conditions that existed at the end of the original 90 minutes.

This includes the players who were on the pitch at the end of regular time, eligible substitutes, disciplinary status, substitutions already made and the remaining substitution opportunities for both teams.

CAF also directed that the same venue should be used, subject to confirmation by WAFU-B, while the same match officials are to officiate the continuation.

WAFU-B will determine and communicate the date, kick-off time and venue in coordination with CAF and the Nigerian and Ghanaian football associations.

Edo Queens’ original victory no longer stands

Edo Queens initially secured the WAFU-B title after winning 4-1 on penalties following the 2-2 draw.

That result would have made the Nigerian club the WAFU-B representative at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.

Following CAF’s decision, however, the qualification place remains undecided.

Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa must now complete the additional 30 minutes before the eventual winner is confirmed.

The CAF decision does not declare Ampem Darkoa the winner. It removes the disputed penalty shootout result and restores the stage of the match that should have been played under the competition regulations.

CAF’s final decision

CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football declared Ampem Darkoa’s protest admissible and upheld it on its merits.

The Committee ruled that:

• The original 4-1 penalty shootout in favour of Edo Queens is annulled.

• The 2-2 score after 90 minutes remains valid.

• The final will not be replayed from the beginning.

• The match will resume from the beginning of extra time.

• Two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played.

• If the score remains level, a new penalty shootout will determine the winner.

• The eventual winner will represent WAFU Zone B at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.

The decision is signed by Bestine Kazadi, President of the CAF Organising Committee for Women’s Football.

For now, the WAFU-B final remains unfinished, with Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa still to settle the contest on the pitch.