By Simpson Global Media News Desk
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has annulled Edo Queens’ 4–1 penalty-shootout victory over Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the WAFU Zone B qualifying final for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League, ruling that the match was concluded without the extra time required under the competition regulations.
The decision, dated September 26, 2026, means the Nigerian champions’ previously recognised victory no longer has sporting effect. Instead, the final will resume from the beginning of extra time with the score fixed at 2–2.
The two clubs will play two 15-minute periods of extra time. If neither side establishes an advantage after those 30 minutes, a fresh penalty shootout will be held to determine the winner and the team that will represent WAFU Zone B at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.
The ruling follows a formal protest by Ampem Darkoa after the September 5 final at the 4th of August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The match had ended 2–2 after 90 minutes, but instead of proceeding to extra time, the teams went directly to penalties, where Edo Queens prevailed 4–1.
CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football found that the procedure used to determine the winner did not comply with the applicable regulations.
At the same time, CAF made clear that neither Edo Queens nor Ampem Darkoa was responsible for the procedural error. The governing body attributed the failure to play extra time to an administrative instruction given to the match officials.
A Final That Was Declared Decided
The controversy centres on what happened after a fiercely contested 90 minutes in Ouagadougou.
Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa entered the final after strong campaigns in the WAFU Zone B qualifying tournament. The Nigerian side had advanced to the decisive match after defeating hosts USFA 5–1 in the semi-final, while Ampem Darkoa booked their place with a 4–1 victory over Benin’s Dynamique FC de Calavi.
The final itself produced another close contest.
Ampem Darkoa took an early lead through Berline Nyarko, who scored in the opening minutes. Edo Queens responded through Dooshima Tarnum before the Ghanaian champions regained the advantage through Nyarko, who converted a second-half penalty.
Edo Queens eventually drew level again through substitute Oluebube Umejiaku, forcing the match to a 2–2 conclusion after normal time.
The teams then went directly to penalties.
Edo Queens converted their opportunities more effectively and won the shootout 4–1. CAF’s initial tournament report subsequently recorded the Nigerian side as the WAFU Zone B winner, with the result appearing to give Edo Queens the regional qualification ticket for the continental competition.
The latest ruling, however, has changed the status of that result.
CAF has now declared that the penalty shootout should not have taken place at that stage of the match.
Why the Penalty Shootout Was Annulled
The central issue was not whether Edo Queens scored more penalties than Ampem Darkoa.
The issue was whether the penalty shootout was reached through the correct competition procedure.
Ampem Darkoa challenged the decision to move directly from the 2–2 draw to penalties. The Ghanaian side argued that the applicable CAF regulations required extra time to be played before penalties could be used to determine the winner of the final.
CAF accepted that argument.
According to the decision reported by JoySports and the Ghana Football Association, the relevant provisions required two 15-minute periods of extra time when the final remained level after 90 minutes. Penalties could only be used if the teams were still tied after the additional 30 minutes.
CAF therefore determined that confirming the original penalty result would effectively validate a procedure that did not comply with the competition regulations.
The committee consequently annulled both the penalty shootout and its 4–1 result.
That distinction is important.
CAF did not rule that Edo Queens had lost the match. It did not declare Ampem Darkoa the winner. It did not erase the 90 minutes already played.
Instead, it restored the match to the point at which the correct next stage of the contest should have begun.
That point is 2–2, immediately before extra time.
The 90 Minutes Remain Valid
One of the most significant elements of CAF’s ruling is its decision not to order a complete replay.
Ampem Darkoa had sought relief that included the possibility of replaying the final. CAF considered the alternatives but concluded that the original 90 minutes had been validly played.
The committee found no basis for cancelling the regulation-time portion of the match.
As a result, the goals scored during those 90 minutes remain part of the official match record for purposes of the resumed contest.
The score is therefore 2–2.
The original penalty shootout is the part that has been removed from the sporting record.
That approach creates a precise distinction between an irregular conclusion to a match and the match itself.
For Edo Queens, the team does not have to replay the opening 90 minutes. For Ampem Darkoa, the club does not receive an automatic victory as a consequence of its successful protest.
Both teams must instead play the portion of the match that CAF says was improperly omitted.
What Happens Next
The continuation will begin with extra time.
The two sides will play a first 15-minute period followed by a second 15-minute period, giving them 30 additional minutes to break the deadlock.
If either team scores more goals during extra time, that team will win the final.
If the score remains level after the 30 minutes, the competition will proceed to another penalty shootout.
That means the final could ultimately be decided by penalties, but only after the required extra-time stage has been completed.
CAF has therefore not eliminated the possibility of a shootout. It has ordered that the shootout, if required, must come at the legally prescribed point in the match.
The eventual winner will receive the WAFU Zone B qualification place for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.
Same Sporting Conditions Where Possible
CAF’s ruling goes beyond simply instructing the two teams to play another 30 minutes.
The governing body has also established conditions intended to preserve continuity between the original match and its resumption.
According to the ruling, the continuation should, as far as practically and legally possible, take place under the same sporting conditions that existed at the end of regulation time.
That includes consideration of the players who were on the pitch when the 90 minutes ended, eligible substitutes, disciplinary status and substitutions already made.
The substitutions already used by the teams will also remain relevant to the resumed portion.
CAF has further directed that the same venue and match officials should be used, subject to confirmation by WAFU Zone B and practical considerations surrounding the continuation.
The purpose of those instructions is to prevent the extra-time continuation from effectively becoming a new match played under completely different circumstances.
The two teams already played 90 minutes under particular conditions, and CAF’s decision seeks to preserve those circumstances as much as possible.
WAFU Zone B will now coordinate with CAF, the Ghana Football Association and the Nigeria Football Federation to establish the arrangements for the continuation.
As of the latest reports, the date, kick-off time and venue for the resumed contest had not been announced.
CAF Says Neither Club Caused the Error
The ruling is also notable because CAF did not place responsibility for the procedural mistake on either of the two participating clubs.
The Ghana Football Association’s protest was upheld, but CAF did not sanction Edo Queens or Ampem Darkoa for the decision to proceed directly to penalties.
The Ghana Football Association reported that CAF attributed the problem to an administrative instruction.
According to the account of the decision, match officials had initially been informed that extra time was required. The instructions were subsequently changed so that the referee was told to proceed directly to penalties if the match ended level.
That change led to the sequence that ultimately produced the disputed shootout.
This distinction matters because the two clubs had acted within the match environment created by the officials.
Edo Queens did not decide unilaterally to start a penalty shootout.
Ampem Darkoa did not control the instructions issued to the referee.
The responsibility for ensuring that competition regulations are correctly applied rests with the competition authorities and match officials.
CAF’s decision therefore separates the procedural error from the sporting performance of the two clubs.
A Second Chance for Both Teams
The ruling creates a very different sporting situation from the one that existed immediately after the September 5 final.
At that time, Edo Queens were celebrating a regional title and qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League.
Ampem Darkoa were protesting the procedure that had produced that outcome.
More than three weeks later, the final remains unresolved.
The 2–2 scoreline means that neither team enters the extra-time continuation with a regulation-time advantage.
The match begins again, for the purposes of the decisive stage, from a level score.
That creates a new competitive calculation for both coaching staffs.
For Edo Queens, the challenge is to put aside the original shootout victory and prepare for another 30 minutes of football against the same opponent.
For Ampem Darkoa, the task is to take advantage of the opportunity created by the successful protest while maintaining the momentum and tactical discipline that carried the team through the original final.
Neither club can rely on the earlier penalty result.
Edo Queens’ Route to the Final
Edo Queens’ appearance in the disputed final came after an impressive run through the WAFU Zone B qualifying tournament.
CAF’s tournament records show that the Nigerian side began with a commanding 7–0 victory over AS GNN of Niger.
They followed that with a 3–1 victory over ASEC Mimosas before suffering their only regulation-time defeat of the tournament against Ampem Darkoa, who won their group-stage encounter 2–1.
The Nigerian champions responded strongly in the knockout stage.
They defeated hosts USFA 5–1 in the semi-final to reach the decisive match.
That victory was built on goals from several players, including Doosuur Anastasia Atume, Esther Moses, Vivian Uroko, Dooshima Tarnum and Amarachi Folorunsho.
The result sent Edo Queens into the final against the same Ampem Darkoa side that had already beaten them in the group stage.
The final therefore offered Edo Queens an opportunity to settle that earlier defeat.
They recovered from falling behind twice and eventually forced the match to 2–2.
The Nigerian team then won the penalty shootout, apparently completing its redemption story.
The subsequent CAF ruling has now extended that contest.
Ampem Darkoa’s Challenge
Ampem Darkoa entered the tournament as one of the leading sides in the WAFU Zone B field and had already demonstrated their ability to compete with Edo Queens.
Their 2–1 group-stage victory over the Nigerian champions was significant because it represented Edo Queens’ only defeat during the tournament before the final.
Ampem Darkoa also defeated ASEC Mimosas 1–0 in the group phase and later overcame Dynamique FC de Calavi 4–1 in the semi-final.
The Ghanaian champions then twice held the lead against Edo Queens in the final before the Nigerian side equalised.
Their protest did not challenge the goals or other footballing incidents that occurred during the 90 minutes.
Instead, it focused on the method used to determine the winner after the regulation-time draw.
CAF’s decision has now confirmed that the complaint concerned the competition procedure rather than an attempt to have the 2–2 scoreline overturned.
The Significance of Article 72.4
The dispute has brought unusual attention to the competition regulations governing the decisive stages of CAF club tournaments.
The relevant rule requires extra time when a final remains level after 90 minutes.
In this case, that means two 15-minute periods before penalties can be used.
The rule is designed to establish a clear sequence for deciding a tied final.
First comes regulation time.
If the scores remain level, the teams play extra time.
If they are still level after extra time, penalties determine the winner.
The September 5 final skipped the middle stage.
CAF has now ruled that the omission cannot simply be ignored because a winner was subsequently produced through penalties.
The penalty result has therefore been annulled and the missing stage must now be played.
Qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League
The stakes extend beyond the WAFU Zone B title.
The winner of the resumed final will secure the region’s qualification ticket for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.
For the two clubs, that means the extra-time continuation will determine whether their continental campaign continues.
Edo Queens had previously been treated as the regional representative after their shootout victory.
That qualification status is now unresolved because CAF has annulled the sporting effect of the shootout.
The WAFU Zone B ticket will therefore remain available until the final is properly completed.
The situation also illustrates how procedural decisions in qualifying tournaments can have consequences beyond a single match.
A club that believes it has qualified can suddenly find its status suspended when the governing body determines that the match was not concluded according to the applicable regulations.
In this case, however, CAF has provided a sporting route to resolve the problem rather than awarding the qualification place administratively.
A Complicated Logistical Exercise
Resuming a match more than three weeks after the original contest presents logistical questions.
CAF has instructed WAFU Zone B to determine the date, kick-off time and venue in consultation with the relevant football authorities.
The regional body must also provide the clubs with the validated match sheet and substitution information from the original game, together with confirmation of player eligibility and disciplinary status.
The requirement to preserve the sporting conditions of the original match adds further administrative work.
Players who were substituted cannot simply be treated as though they had never left the field.
Players who received disciplinary sanctions must remain subject to the relevant status.
The number of substitutions already used must also be taken into account.
These conditions are designed to ensure that the continuation genuinely represents the unfinished portion of the original final rather than a new fixture disguised as extra time.
CAF has also directed that the same venue and match officials should be used where practically and legally possible, subject to WAFU Zone B confirmation.
What the Ruling Means for Edo Queens
For Edo Queens, the ruling removes the immediate benefit of a result the team had already earned on the pitch under the circumstances presented to it.
The club won the penalty shootout 4–1 after a 2–2 draw.
CAF has now determined that the shootout itself should not have occurred.
At the same time, the ruling does not accuse Edo Queens of wrongdoing.
The Nigerian club will therefore return to the competition’s decisive stage with the 2–2 scoreline intact.
The team needs to prepare for 30 minutes of extra time before any possibility of another shootout.
The club’s earlier route to the final, including its semi-final victory over USFA and its performance over the 90 minutes against Ampem Darkoa, remains part of the sporting context.
But the regional title and continental qualification are no longer settled.
What the Ruling Means for Ampem Darkoa
Ampem Darkoa emerge from the decision with the opportunity they had sought through their protest.
The Ghanaian champions argued that the regulations required extra time and that proceeding directly to penalties deprived the team of the prescribed stage of the final.
CAF agreed with that core argument.
However, the club did not receive everything it initially sought.
A complete replay was not ordered.
Instead, CAF determined that the first 90 minutes had been valid and should stand.
Ampem Darkoa therefore enter the continuation at 2–2 rather than starting the entire final again.
That means the club has secured the opportunity to play the missing extra time but must still score enough during that stage, or subsequently prevail in another shootout, to claim the WAFU Zone B ticket.
The Wider Issue of Competition Administration
The dispute also raises broader questions about the importance of precise match administration in continental football.
Football competitions depend on detailed regulations covering everything from player eligibility and substitutions to disciplinary matters and tie-breaking procedures.
When those procedures are not followed, the sporting result can become vulnerable to challenge.
The Edo Queens–Ampem Darkoa case demonstrates that even a penalty shootout producing a clear numerical winner may not settle a final if the shootout itself was reached through a process that breached the regulations.
CAF’s decision attempts to correct the procedural problem without unnecessarily invalidating the football that was properly played.
That explains why the first 90 minutes remain valid while the shootout has been cancelled.
It also explains why the governing body has ordered extra time rather than a complete replay.
A Rare Mid-Competition Correction
The development is unusual because the original final took place on September 5 and was followed by a public celebration of Edo Queens’ apparent victory.
CAF itself initially published an account describing Edo Queens as the WAFU Zone B winners after their 4–1 shootout success.
The later ruling now changes the status of that outcome.
The difference between the initial result and the latest decision reflects the role of formal protests and post-match regulatory review in continental football.
The Ghanaian side used the competition’s established protest process to challenge the procedure.
CAF then examined the relevant regulations and the circumstances surrounding the decision to proceed directly to penalties.
The committee’s ruling has now replaced the original sporting conclusion with an instruction to resume the final from extra time.
No Immediate Winner
For now, there is no confirmed WAFU Zone B winner from this final.
Edo Queens’ previous 4–1 shootout victory has no sporting effect under the CAF ruling.
Ampem Darkoa have not been awarded the trophy.
The qualification place for the CAF Women’s Champions League therefore remains undecided.
The answer will have to come from the pitch.
The teams will resume at 2–2.
They will play 30 minutes of extra time.
If one side takes the lead and holds it, that side will become the winner.
If the scores remain level, penalties will again be used — this time after the required extra-time stage.
That sequence is now the official pathway to resolving the final.
Importance for Nigerian Women’s Football
The situation comes at a time when Nigerian women’s club football continues to seek stronger representation and sustained participation in continental competitions.
Edo Queens’ run in the WAFU Zone B tournament had already placed the club in contention for a return to the CAF Women’s Champions League.
The club’s performance also highlighted the depth of Nigeria’s women’s football system beyond the national team.
The latest development does not erase that campaign.
Instead, it leaves the club with one final sporting hurdle before continental qualification can be confirmed.
The extra-time continuation will therefore attract attention not only because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the original final but also because of what is at stake for Nigerian club football.
WAFU Zone B Yet to Announce Continuation Details
CAF has left the immediate scheduling responsibility with WAFU Zone B.
The regional body is expected to consult CAF, the Nigeria Football Federation and the Ghana Football Association before announcing the date, kick-off time and venue.
The Ghana Football Association said CAF’s ruling requires the continuation to preserve the sporting conditions of the original match as far as practically and legally possible.
The same venue and officials are to be maintained where feasible.
The logistical arrangements will therefore need to account for the passage of time since the original match and the availability of the players and officials concerned.
Until those arrangements are formally communicated, the final remains suspended at the 2–2 scoreline.
A Match That Must Now Be Finished Properly
The Edo Queens–Ampem Darkoa final has become an unusual chapter in the history of the WAFU Zone B Women’s Champions League qualifiers.
It began as a competitive final between two strong West African clubs.
It ended after 90 minutes with the score tied 2–2.
Edo Queens then won a penalty shootout and were declared champions.
A formal protest subsequently challenged the procedure.
CAF has now determined that the match should not have proceeded directly to penalties.
The governing body has annulled the shootout, retained the 2–2 scoreline and ordered the missing extra-time stage to be played.
The ruling also makes clear that neither club was responsible for the administrative error that led to the disputed procedure.
The consequence is therefore sporting rather than disciplinary.
Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa must return to the competition’s decisive stage and settle the contest under the procedure CAF says the regulations require.
The winner will not only claim the WAFU Zone B title but also secure the region’s place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.
Until the extra time is played — and, if necessary, a new penalty shootout completed — the final remains officially unresolved.
For Edo Queens, the task is to convert a previously celebrated victory into a formally completed championship.
For Ampem Darkoa, it is an opportunity to finish a contest that the club argued had been prematurely decided.
And for CAF and WAFU Zone B, the immediate task is to organise the continuation in a way that complies with the competition regulations while preserving, as far as possible, the sporting conditions of the original match.
The next chapter will begin from the same 2–2 scoreline that ended the 90 minutes in Ouagadougou on September 5.
This time, however, there will be no shortcut to the decisive stage: extra time must come first, and only then can penalties determine the WAFU Zone B representative for the continental championship.
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