‘Black Princesses ahead of schedule’ - Charles Sampson on South Africa U20 World Cup qualifier

Ghana U-20 women’s head coach Charles Sampson says preparations for the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against South Africa are progressing ahead of schedule.

The Black Princesses, aiming for an eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, are building momentum following a 4-0 aggregate win over Tunisia in the second round of qualifiers.

“[Preparations] are going on well. But so far, it’s looking really good, very interesting. We’ve got some new faces to look at, and it’s very impressive. It’s going even better than I thought. It looks like they know each other already, so you can see that a relationship is already building,” Sampson said.

The squad opened camp in Accra during the first week of January, with several players yet to join. As more members arrive, Sampson will work on refining tactics and enhancing cohesion across the team.

The combination of experienced campaigners and promising newcomers has impressed the coaching staff, who believe the squad is in excellent shape ahead of the two-legged tie.

Ghana will host South Africa in the first leg of the qualifier between February 6–8, 2026, before traveling for the return leg scheduled for February 12–14.