By joshua Edo Queens Petition CAF, Seek to Be Declared Winners if Replay Is Impossible
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
Edo Queens Football Club have petitioned the Confederation of African Football (CAF), seeking the annulment of their 3-2 defeat to Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC in the continuation of the WAFU Zone B qualifying final played on October 29, 2026.
In the petition signed by the club’s chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, and addressed to the CAF General Secretariat in Egypt, Edo Queens alleged that the continuation of the final was conducted in breach of conditions established by CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football and subsequently upheld by its Appeal Board.
The club is asking CAF to declare the result null and void and order a complete replay of the final over 90 minutes under what it described as properly regulated sporting conditions.
The petition followed Ampem Darkoa’s 3-2 victory after scoring from a corner two minutes into the second half of the continuation, which was intended to settle the disputed WAFU Zone B final and determine qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League 2026.
The original final was played on September 5, 2026, at the August 4 Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and ended 2-2 after regulation time. Edo Queens won the ensuing penalty shootout 4-1, but no extra time was played.
Following a protest by the Ghana Football Association, CAF’s Organising Committee ruled on September 26 that the penalty shootout result would have no sporting effect and directed that the match resume from the beginning of extra time, with the score at 2-2.
The committee cited Article 72.4 of the CAF Women’s Champions League Regulations, which provides for two periods of 15 minutes of extra time in the event of a drawn final. The decision was subsequently upheld by the CAF Appeal Board on October 16, with an amendment requiring different match officials for the continuation.
Edo Queens said it did not challenge the Appeal Board’s ruling and travelled to participate in the continuation on the understanding that CAF’s prescribed conditions would be respected.
However, the club’s petition identified three principal grounds for challenging the proceedings: an alleged unauthorised change of venue, failure to restore the original sporting conditions, and inadequate official communication regarding the arrangements for the match.
On the venue, Edo Queens argued that CAF’s Organising Committee had directed that the continuation take place at the original venue in Ouagadougou, subject to confirmation by WAFU Zone B. The club, however, said the match was played in Cairo, Egypt, without receiving the required confirmation explaining the change and whether the Nigeria Football Federation had been consulted.
The club maintained that its decision to honour CAF’s instruction to travel to Egypt should not be interpreted as consent to a departure from the conditions attached to the continuation.
On the sporting conditions, Edo Queens alleged that it was prevented from fielding eligible players who had been on the pitch when the original match ended. It argued that the committee’s directive required the continuation to reflect, as far as practically and legally possible, the conditions at the end of regulation time, including player eligibility, previous substitutions and disciplinary status.
The petition also questioned the accommodation provided for the club’s delegation, alleging that the team was housed in a military base rather than a hotel facility approved for team delegations at CAF competitions.
According to the club, the accommodation arrangements caused distress and intimidation among its players ahead of a match that would determine qualification for a continental competition. It said it could provide statements from members of the delegation if required by CAF.
Edo Queens further asked CAF to establish when WAFU Zone B confirmed the venue, whether the Nigerian football federation was consulted as required, and when the club was officially notified of the exact venue and kick-off time.
The club also requested the production of the validated match sheet and substitution records from the September 5 encounter, the list of eligible players and substitutes, and the disciplinary records that were supposed to be made available before the continuation.
Explaining why it wants a full replay, Edo Queens argued that CAF’s earlier decision against replaying the entire match was based on the finding that the original 90 minutes had been validly played. The club contended that the alleged irregularities arose during the continuation and undermined the conditions that the resumption was intended to preserve.
It therefore asked the CAF Appeal Board to treat the petition as urgent and suspend any final allocation of the WAFU Zone B qualification place until the dispute is resolved.
Among its requests, Edo Queens wants the October 29 continuation declared null and void, WAFU Zone B directed to produce the relevant records and venue confirmation, and the final replayed in full under regulated conditions, preferably at the original venue and with eligible players.
Alternatively, if a replay cannot be completed before the CAF Women’s Champions League begins in Egypt on November 1, 2026, the club has asked the Appeal Board to declare it the winner of the WAFU Zone B tournament.
Edo Queens also reserved its right to pursue further remedies under CAF’s statutes and disciplinary regulations, including an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The petition was copied to the WAFU Zone B Organising Committee. There was no response from CAF or Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC included in the document.