* asks for annulment
* demands replay or be declared winner.
Edo Queens have petitioned the Confederation of African Football (CAF), seeking the annulment of their 3-2 defeat to Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the continuation of the WAFU Zone B qualifying final, with the Nigerian side demanding a full replay or to be declared winners if a replay is impossible.
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 October 29 continuation 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 the final to be replayed over 90 minutes under what it described as properly regulated sporting conditions.
Ampem Darkoa secured a 3-2 victory after scoring from a corner two minutes into the second half of the continuation, which was organised to settle the disputed final and determine qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League 2026.
The original encounter was played on September 5 at the August 4 Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and ended 2-2 after regulation time. Edo Queens subsequently won the penalty shootout 4-1, but CAF later ruled that the shootout result had no sporting effect because the match had not proceeded to extra time.
On September 26, CAF’s Organising Committee directed that the match resume from the beginning of extra time, with the score at 2-2, citing Article 72.4 of the CAF Women’s Champions League Regulations, which provides for two 15-minute periods of extra time in a drawn final.
The decision was upheld by the CAF Appeal Board on October 16, with an amendment requiring different match officials for the continuation.
Edo Queens said they accepted the ruling and travelled for the resumption on the understanding that CAF’s prescribed conditions would be respected.
However, the club identified three principal grounds for challenging the proceedings: an alleged unauthorised change of venue, failure to preserve the original sporting conditions and inadequate official communication concerning the arrangements.
On the venue, Edo Queens argued that CAF had directed that the continuation take place in Ouagadougou, subject to confirmation by WAFU Zone B.
The club alleged that the match was instead played in Cairo, Egypt, without the required confirmation explaining the change or clarification on whether the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had been consulted.
It maintained that its decision to travel to Egypt in compliance with CAF’s instructions should not be interpreted as consent to a departure from the conditions governing the continuation.
The Nigerian side also alleged that it was prevented from fielding eligible players who had been on the pitch when the original match ended.
According to the petition, CAF’s directive required the continuation to reflect, as far as practically and legally possible, the circumstances at the end of regulation time, including player eligibility, previous substitutions and disciplinary status.
The club further questioned the accommodation arrangements for its delegation, alleging that the team was housed in a military base rather than a hotel facility approved for team delegations at CAF competitions.
Edo Queens claimed the arrangements caused distress and intimidation among their players ahead of a match that would determine qualification for the continental tournament. The club said it could provide statements from members of the delegation to support its allegation.
The petition asked CAF to establish when WAFU Zone B confirmed Cairo as the venue, whether the NFF was consulted and when Edo Queens were officially notified of the venue and kick-off time.
The club also requested the validated match sheet and substitution records from the September 5 encounter, the list of eligible players and substitutes, and the relevant disciplinary records that should have been made available before the continuation.
Explaining its demand for a full replay, Edo Queens argued that CAF’s earlier decision not to order a replay of the entire match was based on the conclusion that the original 90 minutes had been validly played.
The club contended that the alleged irregularities occurred during the continuation and undermined the conditions under which the match was ordered to resume.
It has therefore asked the CAF Appeal Board to treat the matter as urgent and suspend any final allocation of the WAFU Zone B qualification slot until the dispute is resolved.
Among its demands, Edo Queens wants the October 29 result annulled, WAFU Zone B directed to produce the relevant records and venue confirmation, and the final replayed in full under properly regulated conditions, preferably at the original venue and with eligible players.
Alternatively, the club wants CAF to declare it the WAFU Zone B winner if a replay cannot be completed before the CAF Women’s Champions League begins in Egypt on November 1, 2026.
Edo Queens also reserved the 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. The document did not include any response from CAF or Ampem Darkoa Ladies to the allegations.
