Ampem Darkoa’s fifth title, Hasaacas’ cup consolation, and the statistical anatomy of Ghana’s evolving women’s football landscape
Executive Summary
On 19 April 2026, Ampem Darkoa Ladies cemented their place in Ghanaian women’s football history. Their 2–1 come-from-behind victory over southern rivals Hasaacas Ladies FC in the national championship playoff final at the Swedru Sports Stadium delivered a fifth top-flight title, drawing them level with Hasaacas as the joint-most successful clubs in the modern Ghana Women’s Premier League (GWPL) era .
The victory carried continental stakes: Ampem Darkoa secured Ghana’s single qualification ticket to the upcoming CAF Women’s Champions League campaign .
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Beneath the final’s drama, the 2025/26 GWPL season produced statistical stories of its own. The league generated 410 regular-season goals across 181 fixtures, with home teams dominating (94 home wins vs 46 away wins) and second-half scoring surging (224 goals vs 186 in first halves) . Hasaacas goalkeeper Grace Buoadu Banwaa set a defensive benchmark with 12 clean sheets, while Ampem Darkoa’s Ajegipina Zakaria claimed the Golden Boot with 13 goals and 5 assists .
The season also witnessed structural clarity in relegation: Soccer Intellectuals, Halifax Queens, Kumasi Sports Academy, and Northern City Ladies dropped to Division One, while Tamale Super Ladies survived by a single win’s margin — 6 victories versus KUSA’s 5 .
This Accra Street Journal report provides a complete data-driven analysis of the 2025/26 GWPL season: the championship playoff final, zonal regular season performances, statistical leaders, disciplinary trends, relegation battles, and the promotion pathway for the 2026/27 season.
Part 1: The Championship Playoff Final — Ampem Darkoa’s Historic Comeback
The Matchup
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | 19 April 2026 |
| Venue | Swedru Sports Stadium |
| Northern Zone Champions | Ampem Darkoa Ladies (37 points, 45 goals scored) |
| Southern Zone Champions | Hasaacas Ladies FC (zone winners) |
| Result | Ampem Darkoa Ladies 2–1 Hasaacas Ladies FC |
| Continental Qualification | Ampem Darkoa secures Ghana’s sole CAF Women’s Champions League slot |
The final was a thriller. Hasaacas took the lead, but Ampem Darkoa fought back to secure a 2–1 come-from-behind victory. The result drew Ampem Darkoa level with Hasaacas as the joint-most successful clubs in modern Ghanaian women’s football history — five titles each.
For Ampem Darkoa, the victory was redemption. For Hasaacas, it was a familiar heartbreak: champions of the Southern Zone, runners-up in the national final.
Continental Stakes
By securing the national title, Ampem Darkoa officially booked Ghana’s single qualification ticket to represent the country at the upcoming CAF Women’s Champions League campaign . Ghana’s slot in Africa’s premier women’s club competition will be filled by the Northern Zone champions — a testament to the shifting balance of power in Ghanaian women’s football.
Part 2: Regular Season Zonal Standards
The GWPL operates across two geographical zones — Northern and Southern — with 18 matches per team before the national championship playoff between the zonal winners.
Northern Zone
| Pos | Club | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ampem Darkoa Ladies | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 45 | — | — | 37 | Zone Champions → National Champions |
| 2 | FC Savannah | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Top four |
| 3 | Dreams Ladies | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Top four |
| 4 | Northern Ladies | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Top four |
| 8 | Tamale Super Ladies | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 22 | Survived by tiebreaker |
| 9 | Kumasi Sports Academy (R) | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 22 | Relegated (fewer wins) |
| 10 | Northern City Ladies (R) | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 33 | -11 | 19 | Relegated |
Ampem Darkoa completely controlled the Northern sector, closing out their 18 matches with 37 points (11 wins, 4 draws, 3 defeats) while leading the division with 45 goals scored .
The top four — Ampem Darkoa, FC Savannah, Dreams Ladies, and Northern Ladies — locked down upper-tier security .
Southern Zone
| Pos | Club | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hasaacas Ladies FC | Zone Champions → National Finalists |
| — | Jonina Ladies | Top four |
| — | Army Ladies | Top four |
| 9 | Soccer Intellectuals (R) | Relegated |
| 10 | Halifax Queens FC (R) | Relegated |
Hasaacas Ladies paced the coastal sector to win the zone before falling short in the national final . Jonina Ladies and Army Ladies pushed the Phobians until the final match weeks.
Halifax Queens’ collapse: Despite escaping relegation the previous year via a play-off, their defensive tactical layouts collapsed completely in 2025/26, starting with an early 4–1 defeat to Police Ladies and ending in automatic demotion .
Part 3: The Razor-Thin Relegation Escape — Tamale Super Ladies’ Survival
The Northern Zone’s relegation battle was decided by the narrowest of margins.
| Pos | Club | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Tamale Super Ladies | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 22 | Survived |
| 9 | Kumasi Sports Academy (R) | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 22 | Relegated via tiebreaker |
The analytical tiebreaker: While Kumasi Sports Academy possessed a technically superior goal difference (-3 compared to Tamale’s -7), the league’s primary survival matrices heavily rewarded outright match victories. Tamale Super Ladies secured 6 total wins, whereas KUSA registered 5 wins, giving the Tamale-based side the direct edge .
The matchday stalemate: The two relegation rivals neutralised each other during their regular-season meetings, playing out a tense 0–0 draw on Matchday 11. This lack of a clear head-to-head winner forced officials to fall back on cumulative seasonal win metrics to finalise the drop .
The survival catalyst: Tamale Super Ladies secured their ultimate survival lifeline on Matchday 13 by pulling off a stunning 1–0 victory against zonal heavyweights Ampem Darkoa Ladies . This single, unexpected 3-point haul completely upset the relegation projections, giving them the exact points padding necessary to stay ahead of Northern City and survive the drop .
Part 4: The 2025/26 GWPL Statistical Landscape
Macro Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total regular season goals | 410 |
| Total fixtures | 181 |
| Home wins | 94 |
| Home goals | 245 |
| Away wins | 46 |
| Away goals | 165 |
| Draws | 41 |
| Penalties awarded | 24 |
| Penalties converted | 21 (87.5% conversion rate) |
| Own goals | 11 |
Home vs Away Dominance
Home advantage dominated heavily. Home teams registered 94 victories and scored 245 goals, while traveling teams managed 46 wins and 165 goals (with 41 fixtures ending in stalemates) .
Second-Half Surge
Attacking lines were vastly more efficient in the final stages, with 224 goals coming in the second half compared to 186 in the opening 45 minutes . This suggests effective halftime tactical adjustments or superior fitness levels among attackers.
Disciplinary Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Yellow cards | 431 |
| Red cards | 22 |
The 431 yellow cards and 22 red cards across 181 fixtures indicate a physically competitive league where referees maintained control without excessive intervention.
Part 5: Individual Statistical Leaders
Golden Boot Standings
| Rank | Player | Club | Zone | Goals | Assists | Total Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajegipina Zakaria | Ampem Darkoa Ladies | Northern | 13 | 5 | 18 |
| 2 | Dorothy Aijegina | Dreamz Ladies FC | Northern | 11 | 3 | 14 |
| 3 | Mary Pokuaa | Ampem Darkoa Ladies | Northern | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 4 | Zakaria Opokundali | Hasaacas Ladies FC | Southern | 8 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | Abdulai Mukarama | Northern Ladies FC | Northern | 8 | 2 | 10 |
Key insight: Attacking metrics peaked in the Northern Zone, where the league’s official top goal scorer (Ajegipina Zakaria) averaged nearly a goal per game — 13 goals in 18 matches, with 5 assists for 18 total contributions .
Ampem Darkoa’s dominance is reflected in the scoring charts: two players (Zakaria and Pokuaa) in the top three.
Golden Glove Race & Clean Sheets
| Rank | Goalkeeper | Club | Zone | Appearances | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grace Buoadu Banwaa | Hasaacas Ladies FC | Southern | 19 | 12 |
| 2 | Aishetu Maliga | Ampem Darkoa Ladies | Northern | 18 | 9 |
| 3 | Cynthia Findib Konlan | Army Ladies FC | Southern | 18 | 8 |
| 4 | Afi Amenyeku | Northern Ladies FC | Northern | 17 | 6 |
Key insight: Defensive configurations across the coastal sector proved vastly superior, with the top spot anchored by the league’s premier international goalkeeper, Grace Buoadu Banwaa, who recorded 12 shutouts in 19 appearances .
Ampem Darkoa’s Aishetu Maliga (9 clean sheets) provided the defensive foundation for their championship run.
Part 6: The 2025/26 Women’s FA Cup — Hasaacas’ Consolation
Running alongside the main premier league, the knockout tournament delivered high drama.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Champion | Hasaacas Ladies FC |
| Final opponent | Army Ladies |
| Result | Hasaacas won on penalties |
| Total matches | 63 |
| Total goals | 234 |
| Golden Boot (shared) | Ajegipina Zakaria (Ampem Darkoa) – 7 goals |
| Golden Boot (shared) | Esther Asamoah Yiadom – 7 goals |
Hasaacas avenged their league final heartbreak by defeating Army Ladies on penalties to capture the 2025/26 Women’s FA Cup trophy . The cup featured 63 matches and produced 234 goals .
Ajegipina Zakaria — the league’s Golden Boot winner — shared the FA Cup top scorer award with Esther Asamoah Yiadom, both netting exactly 7 goals across the tournament .
Part 7: The 2026/27 Promotion-Relegation Cycle
Relegated Clubs (2025/26)
| Zone | Relegated Club | Final Position | Key Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern | Soccer Intellectuals | 9th | Failed to secure necessary results in final matchdays |
| Southern | Halifax Queens FC | 10th | Defensive collapse; started with 4–1 defeat to Police Ladies |
| Northern | Kumasi Sports Academy | 9th | Lost tiebreaker to Tamale Super Ladies (5 wins vs 6) |
| Northern | Northern City Ladies | 10th | Newly promoted; struggled with top-flight intensity (5–2 loss to Fosu Royal Ladies) |
Unlike the previous 2024/25 campaign — which required a high-stakes, 2–1 relegation play-off between Halifax Queens and Faith Ladies to break an identical points deadlock — the 2025/26 regular season table concluded with absolute structural clarity .
Promoted Clubs (2026/27)
The GFA organised the 2025/26 Regional Women’s Championship promotional tournaments in May 2026 across the Tuba Astro Turf (Accra) and Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium (Tamale) .
| Zone | Promoted Club |
|---|---|
| Southern | Immigration Ladies (top promotion slot) |
| Southern | Rootz Sistaz FC (promotion slot) |
Rootz Sistaz and Immigration Ladies secured Women’s Premier League qualification through the regional championship tournament .
Part 8: The Balance of Power — Five Titles Each
The 2025/26 season ended a decade-long championship tie.
| Club | GWPL Titles | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Hasaacas Ladies FC | 5 | Joint-most successful |
| Ampem Darkoa Ladies | 5 | Joint-most successful |
Ampem Darkoa’s fifth title drew them perfectly level with Hasaacas Ladies as the joint-most successful clubs in modern Ghanaian women’s football history . The rivalry between Ghana’s two superpowers of women’s football is now perfectly balanced.
For Hasaacas, the season was one of consolation: zone champions, FA Cup winners, but national runners-up. For Ampem Darkoa, the season was one of validation: zone champions, national champions, CAF Women’s Champions League representatives — and a place in history alongside their greatest rivals.
Part 9: Implications for Ghanaian Women’s Football
The Northern Zone’s Ascendancy
Ampem Darkoa’s championship — and the presence of three Northern Zone teams (Ampem Darkoa, FC Savannah, Dreams Ladies, Northern Ladies) in the top four — demonstrates that the balance of power in Ghanaian women’s football has shifted northward. The Southern Zone’s Hasaacas remain a force, but they no longer dominate.
The Grace Buoadu Banwaa Standard
Hasaacas’ goalkeeper set a defensive benchmark with 12 clean sheets in 19 appearances. For the Ghana national team, Banwaa’s consistency provides a reliable last line of defence. For opposing attackers, she represents the league’s most formidable obstacle.
The Halifax Queens Cautionary Tale
Halifax Queens’ collapse — from play-off survival in 2024/25 to automatic relegation in 2025/26 — demonstrates how fragile top-flight status can be. A single offseason of defensive disorganisation can undo years of progress.
The Tamale Super Ladies Blueprint
Tamale Super Ladies’ survival — by one win’s margin, sealed by a shock victory over Ampem Darkoa — provides a blueprint for relegation-threatened clubs: beat the giants, secure the wins that matter, and let tiebreakers fall where they may.
Promotion Pathways
The promotion of Immigration Ladies and Rootz Sistaz via the Regional Women’s Championship tournament demonstrates that the pathway from regional football to the national elite tier is functional. The question for 2026/27 is whether these promoted clubs can avoid the fate of Northern City Ladies — relegated after a single season of top-flight football.
Conclusion: A Season of Parity, Drama, and Statistical Significance
The 2025/26 Malta Guinness Ghana Women’s Premier League season will be remembered for Ampem Darkoa’s historic fifth title, Hasaacas’ cup consolation, and the statistical stories that defined the campaign.
The league generated 410 regular-season goals, with home teams dominating (94 wins) and second-half scoring surging (224 goals) . Ajegipina Zakaria claimed the Golden Boot with 13 goals and 5 assists, while Grace Buoadu Banwaa anchored the Southern Zone defence with 12 clean sheets .
The championship playoff final — a 2–1 come-from-behind victory for Ampem Darkoa — was the season’s defining moment, sending the Northern Zone champions to the CAF Women’s Champions League and drawing them level with Hasaacas as joint-most successful clubs in modern Ghanaian women’s football history .
The relegation battles were equally dramatic: Tamale Super Ladies survived by a single win’s margin, while Halifax Queens’ defensive collapse sent them from play-off survival to automatic demotion in one year .
As the 2026/27 season approaches, the landscape is set. Ampem Darkoa will represent Ghana in Africa. Hasaacas will seek to reclaim their crown. The promoted clubs — Immigration Ladies and Rootz Sistaz — will fight for survival. And the Northern Zone’s ascendancy will be tested once more.
The 2025/26 season did not produce a dominant champion. It produced a perfectly balanced rivalry, a statistical record book, and a template for how Ghanaian women’s football might evolve: competitive, professionalising, and increasingly difficult to predict.
The beautiful game, in Ghana’s women’s league, has never been more compelling.
Quick Reference: 2025/26 GWPL by the Numbers
| Category | Leader / Record | Value |
|---|---|---|
| National Champion | Ampem Darkoa Ladies | 5th title (level with Hasaacas) |
| Northern Zone Champion | Ampem Darkoa Ladies | 37 points, 45 goals |
| Southern Zone Champion | Hasaacas Ladies | Finalists, FA Cup winners |
| Golden Boot | Ajegipina Zakaria (Ampem Darkoa) | 13 goals, 5 assists |
| Golden Glove | Grace Buoadu Banwaa (Hasaacas) | 12 clean sheets in 19 appearances |
| Total regular season goals | League-wide | 410 |
| Total fixtures | League-wide | 181 |
| Home wins | League-wide | 94 |
| Away wins | League-wide | 46 |
| Second-half goals | League-wide | 224 (vs 186 first half) |
| Penalty conversion rate | League-wide | 87.5% (21/24) |
| Yellow cards | League-wide | 431 |
| Red cards | League-wide | 22 |
| Own goals | League-wide | 11 |
| FA Cup champion | Hasaacas Ladies | Defeated Army Ladies on penalties |
| FA Cup goals | — | 234 in 63 matches |
| Narrowest survival | Tamale Super Ladies | Survived on win count (6 vs 5) |
| Relegated clubs | Soccer Intellectuals, Halifax Queens, KUSA, Northern City Ladies | 4 |
FAQ Section
Q1: Who won the 2025/26 Malta Guinness Ghana Women’s Premier League?
A: Ampem Darkoa Ladies defeated Hasaacas Ladies FC 2–1 in the national championship playoff final at the Swedru Sports Stadium on 19 April 2026 to claim their fifth top-flight title .
Q2: What was significant about Ampem Darkoa’s fifth title?
A: The victory drew Ampem Darkoa level with Hasaacas Ladies as the joint-most successful clubs in modern Ghanaian women’s football history — five titles each .
Q3: Did Hasaacas Ladies win any trophy in 2025/26?
A: Yes. Hasaacas avenged their league final heartbreak by defeating Army Ladies on penalties to capture the 2025/26 Women’s FA Cup trophy .
Q4: Who won the GWPL Golden Boot?
A: Ajegipina Zakaria of Ampem Darkoa Ladies scored 13 goals with 5 assists (18 total contributions) to win the Golden Boot .
Q5: Who kept the most clean sheets?
A: Grace Buoadu Banwaa of Hasaacas Ladies recorded 12 shutouts in 19 appearances, anchoring the Southern Zone’s superior defensive metrics .
Q6: How did Tamale Super Ladies avoid relegation?
A: Tamale Super Ladies finished level on 22 points with Kumasi Sports Academy (KUSA) but survived because they had 6 total wins compared to KUSA’s 5 wins. The league’s tiebreaker prioritised outright victories .
Q7: Which teams were relegated from the GWPL?
A: Soccer Intellectuals and Halifax Queens FC (Southern Zone), and Kumasi Sports Academy and Northern City Ladies (Northern Zone) were relegated .
Q8: Which teams were promoted to the GWPL for 2026/27?
A: Immigration Ladies and Rootz Sistaz FC secured promotion from the Southern Zone through the Regional Women’s Championship tournament .
Q9: What was Halifax Queens’ fate after escaping relegation in 2024/25?
A: Halifax Queens, who survived via a relegation play-off in 2024/25, finished 10th in the Southern Zone in 2025/26 and were automatically relegated after a defensive collapse that started with a 4–1 defeat to Police Ladies .
Q10: What continental qualification did Ampem Darkoa earn?
A: By securing the national title, Ampem Darkoa officially booked Ghana’s single qualification ticket to represent the country at the upcoming CAF Women’s Champions League campaign
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on May 29, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
