Edo Queens Petition CAF to Annul WAFU-B Final After Defeat to Ampem Darkoa

Edo Queens FC have petitioned the Confederation of African Football (CAF), seeking to nullify the continuation of the 2026 WAFU Zone B qualifying final against Ghanaian side Ampem Darkoa Ladies following their defeat in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday.

The Nigerian champions are challenging the circumstances surrounding the resumption of the final on October 29, 2026, and have asked CAF to declare the match null and void, suspend confirmation of the qualification outcome and order a full 90-minute replay under what they describe as properly regulated conditions.

Ampem Darkoa won 1-0 after extra time to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory, with Afishata Mohammed scoring the decisive goal in the 92nd minute. The result earned the Ghanaian champions a place in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League, scheduled to hold in Egypt from November 1 to 15.

Edo Queens Raise Three Grounds of Protest

In the petition issued through the Edo State Government and the club’s executive chairman’s office, Edo Queens identified three principal grounds for challenging the continuation of the final.

The club first questioned the change of venue from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, to Cairo, Egypt, alleging that the relocation took place without the required confirmation from WAFU Zone B in accordance with CAF’s earlier decision.

Secondly, Edo Queens alleged that the arrangements for the continuation failed to preserve the sporting conditions of the original match. The club claimed it was prevented from fielding eligible players who had featured in the September encounter and raised concerns over the accommodation provided for its delegation, which it said was a military base rather than a conventional team hotel.

The third ground concerned communication and match organisation. Edo Queens argued that adequate and timely information about the venue, kick-off time and other arrangements was not provided, potentially affecting the team’s preparations for the decisive encounter.

The allegations form the basis of the club’s request for CAF to review the circumstances under which the match was resumed.

## How the WAFU-B Final Became Controversial

The dispute dates back to September 5, when Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa played out a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes in the original final in Ouagadougou.

Edo Queens subsequently won the penalty shoot-out 4-1 and appeared to have secured the WAFU Zone B title and qualification for the continental competition.

However, Ampem Darkoa protested through the Ghana Football Association, arguing that the competition regulations required two 15-minute periods of extra time to be played before a penalty shoot-out could determine the winner.

CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football upheld the protest on September 26, ruling that the penalty shoot-out had no sporting effect and directing both teams to resume the match from the beginning of extra time with the score at 2-2.

Edo Queens appealed the decision, but the CAF Appeal Board upheld the ruling on October 16 and confirmed that the outstanding 30 minutes had to be played. The appeal decision also required different match officials for the continuation.

CAF subsequently scheduled the resumption in Egypt for October 28 or 29, with Thursday, October 29, ultimately becoming the match date.

Club Seeks Annulment or Full Replay

In its latest petition, Edo Queens has asked CAF to treat the matter as urgent and suspend final confirmation of the WAFU Zone B qualification place pending the determination of its complaint.

The club is also seeking an order declaring the October 29 continuation null and void and directing WAFU Zone B to produce relevant documentation, including venue confirmation, original match sheets, substitution records, player eligibility lists and disciplinary records.

As its preferred sporting remedy, Edo Queens wants CAF to order a full 90-minute replay under properly regulated conditions, with eligible players and at the original venue in Ouagadougou.

Alternatively, the club has asked CAF to declare it the winner of the WAFU Zone B tournament if a replay cannot be completed before the Women’s Champions League begins on November 1.

The requested remedies represent Edo Queens’ position in the dispute; CAF has not been reported as having ruled on this latest petition.

Ampem Darkoa Secure Qualification Amid Dispute

Ampem Darkoa’s victory in Cairo has placed the Ghanaian side in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League, where they are scheduled to compete in Group B alongside defending champions AS FAR of Morocco, Kawempe Muslim Ladies of Uganda and USFAS Bamako of Mali.

The Ghanaian club is returning to the continental competition for the first time since its 2023 appearance, when it finished fourth.

For Edo Queens, the defeat represents a setback in their bid to return to the tournament after reaching the semi-finals on their debut in 2024.

The latest petition introduces another chapter in a dispute that has extended beyond the original final, with the Nigerian club seeking to overturn the outcome of the match that ultimately decided the WAFU Zone B representative.

The next development will depend on CAF’s response to the latest complaint and whether the governing body considers the grounds raised sufficient to revisit the continuation and its result.