Ghana’s Black Maidens have received an integrity briefing ahead of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, with players and officials educated on the dangers of match-fixing, match manipulation and the importance of reporting suspicious approaches.

The session forms part of the team’s pre-tournament preparations and reinforces the Football Association’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the game as the young side prepares for the global competition.

Players were taken through how attempts to manipulate matches can occur, including approaches made through social media, private messages, friends, intermediaries or other third parties. Such attempts may involve offers of money, gifts or other benefits in exchange for influencing a particular incident or the final outcome of a match.

The briefing stressed that manipulation does not always begin with an explicit request to lose a game. Players were therefore urged to remain vigilant, reject suspicious approaches and avoid engaging with anyone seeking to compromise the integrity of a match.

A key message was that every suspicious approach must be reported, even if no agreement is reached and no action is taken on the pitch. Players and officials were also reminded of the established FIFA reporting channels available to them when they encounter potential integrity violations.

The Black Maidens have qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and will compete in Group C alongside Canada, Brazil and Norway. The tournament is scheduled to run from October 17 to November 7, 2026.

GFA Communications