Speaking at his pre-match press conference in Casablanca, the Swedish tactician laid out a step-by-step plan for the Black Queens’ tournament journey.
“We have three targets; qualify from the Group stage, win the quarter finals to qualify for the World Cup and go all the way to win the 2026 WAFCON.”
The middle rung of that ambition is arguably the most important for Ghanaian women’s football. Reaching the semi-finals of WAFCON 2026 automatically secures qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, a stage the Black Queens have not featured on since 2007.
Bjorkegren, appointed in September 2024, reflected on the progress the Black Queens have made under his watch, having taken over a side that had spent years in the wilderness.
“We were happy with the bronze medal in the previous WAFCON. I think we did really good. When I came in, I took over a team that normally hadn't performed really good in a long time.”
Ghana finished third at the 2024 WAFCON, also staged in Morocco, beating South Africa in the third-place playoff. Since then, Bjorkegren has continued to raise the level of opposition his players have been exposed to, with notable results including a victory over Russia and a competitive display against England in a December friendly.
Preparations for Morocco have included a training camp in the country and warm-up matches culminating in an emphatic 4-0 win over Malawi.
Turning his attention to Wednesday’s opener, the Swedish trainer praised the preparation of his squad while acknowledging that Cape Verde, playing in a WAFCON tournament for the first time in their history, should not be taken lightly.
“We are feeling that we are going to be ready for the upcoming game. It is going to be a tough one; first time with Cape Verde in the WAFCON. They will for sure play with passion.”
“We expect a tough game but we believe in ourselves and if we do our things we can start the tournament with a win. At least that’s our goal and target,” he added.
He also offered a clear tactical marker of what Ghana intend to look like on the pitch in Morocco.
“We will see a Black Queens team that will go for the attack. I will say we are the best high pressing team in Africa. I know we have a strong defence. I really believe in this group of girls. They will do everything to win the game.”
Ghana’s captain Portia Boakye leads a 26-player squad that blends experienced campaigners with rising talents from the Ghana Women’s Premier League and clubs across Europe.
Ghana kick off their WAFCON campaign against Cape Verde at 17:00 GMT at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, before facing five-time champions Cameroon on Saturday, August 2 and closing the group stage against Mali on Thursday, August 6.
