CAF Women’s Champions League: Nigeria to host WAFU-B Zonal Qualifiers

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Lagos State, South West Nigeria will host the third edition of West Africa Zone B (WAFU-B) Zonal Qualifiers for the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League.

The West Zone B delegation led by Executive Director Boureima Balima arrived in Lagos this week for inspection and he was accompanied by WAFU B competition director Serge Bailly and Patricia Heremien.

The tournament will feature champions of the Women’s Leagues of the seven member countries of West Zone B, they are Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo.

Ivory Coast has already crowned Atletico d’Abidjan as Champions of its women’s league and the team is the first to qualify for the Zonal Qualifiers.

The first two editions were held in Ivory Coast and it is the turn of Lagos to welcome the champion clubs of the women’s championships of the 7 member countries of the West Zone B he tournament is scheduled for August.

Hasaacas Ladies FC of Ghana won the maiden edition and qualified for the maiden CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt alongside runners-up, Rivers Angels of Nigeria.

The Ghanaian side reached the final of the 2021 CAF Women’s Champions League where it lost 2-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies of South Africa while Rivers Angels crashed out at the group stage.

In 2022, Bayelsa Queens defeated Ampem Darkoa of Ghana in the final to qualify for the Champions League.

The Property Girls reached the semi-final of the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League and had a bronze medal finish at its maiden appearance.