Black Queens coach Bashir Hayford is optimistic that the forthcoming training tour will help their preparations for this year's Africa Women's Nations Cup.

The Queens will enplane to Zambia on Tuesday for a friendly with the she-polopolo on Saturday, November 3.

They will also be in Kenya on November 5 to play their Kenyan counterparts in a pre-tournament friendly game on November 7.

"That is exactly what we were looking for because haven put a team together you need to pick your strength against teams outside the country," said coach Hayford.

"We were assured immediately after the balloting we'll see something like that."

"It will help us to prepare very well going into the competition."

The Black Queens will return to Ghana on November 9 and will wrap up preparations for the competition with a friendly match against South Africa's Bayana Bayana before the commencement of the tournament on Saturday November 17.