2026 WAFCON: We believe in ourselves – Black Queens coach Kim Lars ahead of Malawi clash
Ghana head coach Kim Lars Björkegren says his side are ready to rise to the challenge when they face Malawi in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
The Black Queens are bidding to reach the semi-finals for a second successive tournament, having finished third last year.
Victory in Rabat would also secure Ghana’s place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, adding further significance to a match already carrying high stakes.
Björkegren is aware of the threat posed by Malawi but believes Ghana have shown enough progress during the tournament to be confident of advancing.
“They are pretty good, a hard-working group. It’s going to be tough for us. We also see our potential; we believe in ourselves,” the Swedish coach told reporters ahead of the match.
Ghana finished second in Group D with four points after beating Cape Verde 2-0, losing 1-0 to Cameroon and drawing 1-1 with Mali.
The two sides met in a pre-tournament friendly, with Ghana running out 4-0 winners. But Björkegren insists that result will have little bearing on Sunday’s knockout tie.
The Black Queens will need to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to progress, with the coach admitting there is still room for improvement.
“We think that we have improved in this tournament and also believe in ourselves. We can keep the ball in the team and take care of the chances a little bit better than we have done so far,” he said.
The quarter-final will be played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, with the winner advancing to the last four and securing a place at next year’s Women’s World Cup.
For Ghana, the match represents another important step in their pursuit of a first WAFCON title.
But before they can think about the semi-finals, the Black Queens must first find a way past a determined Malawi side with their own ambitions of reaching the last four.
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