Ghana and South Africa learn 2027 Women's World Cup playoff opponents
Ghana and South Africa have discovered their opponents for the preliminary phase of the FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament following a draw in Zurich, Switzerland. The two African nations are among six teams, including Ecuador, Uzbekistan, Papua New Guinea, and Chinese Taipei, competing in the preliminary phase for spots in the final intercontinental playoffs. The draw, held at FIFA's headquarters on August 20, 2026, divided the teams into three groups of two, with each team playing three matches. The preliminary phase will take place from November 24 to December 5, 2026. The top two teams from this phase will advance to the final phase, joining four directly qualified teams: two from CONCACAF, one from UEFA, and Venezuela representing CONMEBOL. The final phase, scheduled from February 23 to March 6, 2027, will see the six teams divided into three paths, with the three winners securing the final places at the 2027 Women鈥檚 World Cup in Brazil. Ghana qualified for the playoffs by defeating C么te d鈥橧voire, while South Africa secured their spot by beating Nigeria. Ghana aims to return to the Women's World Cup for the first time since 2007, and South Africa seeks a third consecutive appearance after participating in the 2019 and 2023 tournaments. The 2027 Women鈥檚 World Cup will be held in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, 2027, marking the first time the women鈥檚 tournament is staged in South America.
