As the countdown to the 2025 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) begins, head coach of Ghana’s Black Queens, Kim Lars Bjorkegren, has underlined the importance of international friendlies in the team’s final phase of preparations.

Currently camped in Morocco, the Black Queens are set to engage in three crucial warm-up matches this month—against Malawi, Botswana, and regional rivals Nigeria. These games, Bjorkegren says, are not just routine fixtures but strategic opportunities to sharpen the team’s readiness for the continental showdown.

“We want to test ourselves against different playing styles and team dynamics,” the coach said in an interview shared on the Ghana FA’s official platform. “Malawi and Botswana provide technical and disciplined opposition, while Nigeria offers the challenge of a traditional powerhouse.”

Ghana will open the friendly series against Malawi on June 21 at the Ziaida Complex in Benslimane. Four days later, the Queens will take on Botswana at the same venue, before wrapping up with a much-anticipated clash against the Super Falcons of Nigeria on Friday, June 29, at the Lanouria Complex.

These matches are seen as a critical barometer for assessing tactical cohesion, individual player form, and overall team chemistry as the Queens aim to make a strong statement at WAFCON 2025.