WAFU-B Final Controversy: Ghana's Ampem Darkoa protest Edo Queens triumph, demand penalty shoot out review
Edo Queens’ triumph in the 2026 WAFU-B CAF Women’s Champions League qualifying tournament has been thrown into controversy after Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa Ladies formally protested the decision to proceed directly to a penalty shootout following their 2–2 draw in the final.
According to Ghanaian journalist Ayishatu Zakaria-Ali Olarewaju, Ampem Darkoa have formally challenged the procedure used to determine the winner, arguing that the final should have gone into extra time in accordance with the competition regulations.
Ampem Darkoa are challenging the procedure used to determine the winner, insisting that the final should have gone into extra time before penalties, in accordance with the competition regulations.
Edo Queens eventually prevailed 4–1 in the shootout to retain the WAFU-B crown and secure the zone’s ticket to the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League. 
However, the Ghanaian champions believe the outcome could have been different had the stipulated extra-time procedure been followed.
The controversy centres on whether the regulations governing the 2026 WAFU-B qualifiers required a drawn final to proceed through 30 minutes of extra time before a penalty shootout.
That distinction is crucial because extra time is not a matter of referee discretion if it is expressly prescribed by the competition regulations.
Historical CAF Women’s Champions League knockout regulations provide for 90 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of extra time when necessary and, if the scores remain level, a penalty shootout. 
Reports from the 2026 WAFU-B final indicate that the match ended 2–2 after normal time before the teams went straight to penalties, where Edo Queens converted four attempts while Ampem Darkoa scored only once. 
Ampem Darkoa have therefore formally lodged their protest and are asking the relevant competition authorities to examine whether the correct procedure was followed.
The protest does not, by itself, overturn Edo Queens’ victory. The responsibility now lies with the appropriate WAFU/CAF competition authority to examine the regulations, the match officials’ report and the circumstances surrounding the decision.
The controversy comes after a dramatic final in which Ampem Darkoa twice took the lead, only for Edo Queens to fight back and force the game level at 2–2 before the shootout. 
Edo Queens’ victory had appeared to complete another successful WAFU-B campaign for the Nigerian champions, but Ampem Darkoa’s protest means the final may now have a significant administrative chapter beyond what happened on the pitch.
The central question is therefore no longer simply which team was better from the penalty spot.
It is whether the penalty shootout was legally triggered at that point of the match.
If the applicable 2026 regulations clearly require extra time before penalties, the issue could represent a serious procedural matter requiring an official determination.
Until the competition authorities publish their interpretation of the regulations and rule on Ampem Darkoa’s protest, however, any claim that the decision was deliberately biased in favour of Edo Queens would go beyond the available evidence.
What is beyond dispute is that the controversy has placed the administration of the WAFU-B women’s club competition under scrutiny at a time when both the integrity of the competition and the credibility of its qualification process are under the spotlight.
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