Full list: African countries get opponents for 2027 Women’s World Cup playoffs

Ghana and South Africa have learned their opponents in the preliminary phase of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament as they vie for qualification for next year's event in Brazil.

The draw, conducted at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, August 20, placed the two African nations in a competitive preliminary round. Ghana's Black Queens will compete against Ecuador, Uzbekistan, and Papua New Guinea. Meanwhile, South Africa's Banyana Banyana are set to face Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, and Uzbekistan.

Six teams are participating in this preliminary phase, with the goal of securing two spots in the final playoff tournament. The preliminary matches are scheduled to take place during the international window from November 24 to December 5, 2026. FIFA has yet to confirm the specific venues, dates, and kick-off times for these crucial encounters.

Each team will play three matches in the preliminary round. The top two teams overall from this phase will progress to the final phase. There, they will join four teams that have qualified directly from other confederations: two from CONCACAF, one from UEFA, and Venezuela from CONMEBOL. The final phase, featuring six teams, will determine the last three World Cup berths through single-match knockouts from February 23 to March 6, 2027.