Ghana’s Black Damsels have been crowned champions of the CAF African Schools Football Championship after a dramatic 9-8 penalty shootout victory over Burkina Faso in the final, sealing a historic back-to-back triumph for the U-15 girls team.
The final, played in Harare, Zimbabwe, ended level after regulation time, pushing both sides into a tense penalty shootout where Ghana held their nerve to emerge victorious. The win confirms the Black Damsels’ dominance at this level, having successfully defended their continental schools title.
Captain Christiana Ashiaku was the standout performer of the tournament, earning the Player of the Tournament award for her leadership and consistent displays throughout the competition.
Ghana’s path to glory included a narrow 1-0 semi-final win over Zambia, where Blessing Tettey scored the decisive goal in the 7th minute to send the defending champions into the final.
In the final shootout, goalkeeper Fadila Musah made a crucial save, while Mukarama Yussif confidently converted the winning penalty to secure Ghana’s triumph.
Beyond the sporting success, Ghana’s victory comes with a significant reward. The Black Damsels will benefit from the tournament’s development prize money of USD 300,000, awarded to the girls’ champions to support school and football development projects.
The CAF African Schools Football Championship, which ran from April 6 to April 10, 2026, continues to play a key role in combining education, football development, and community growth across Africa.
Final standings saw Ghana as girls’ champions, Burkina Faso as runners-up, and Zambia finishing third. In the boys’ category, Senegal claimed the title, Uganda placed second, and Benin finished third.
Ghana’s triumph once again highlights the country’s growing strength in youth women’s football and signals a bright future for the next generation of stars.
