NSMQ 2026 tracker: One-eighth results, today’s fixtures and quarter-final race

• Nine schools have qualified for the quarter-finals after Wednesday’s One-eighth Stage contests, with Prempeh College, Keta SHTS, Ghana National College, Osei Tutu SHS, Ofori Panin SHS, Pope John SHS, St John’s Grammar, Aburi Girls’ SHS and St Augustine’s College progressing.

• Pope John SHS & Minor Seminary recorded the highest score of the day, finishing on 72 points, while Prempeh College followed with 66 and Keta SHTS with 56.

• The Augusco–Anlo SHS–Kumasi High controversy ended with St Augustine’s College declared the winner by forfeiture after Anlo SHS and KUHIS left the stage before the final Riddles round.

This live tracker should remain the canonical Pulse page for results, qualifiers and the road to the quarter-finals. The official NSMQ results confirm all nine Wednesday scores, including the controversial St Augustine’s College–Anlo SHS–Kumasi High contest.

Day One results — Wednesday, August 26 (Contests 1–9)

Contest Winner (advances to Quarter-finals) Runner-up Third

1 (Main) Prempeh College – 66 West Africa SHS – 30 Kumasi Girls' SHS – 19

2 (SMS) Keta SHTS – 56 Kadjebi Asato SHS – 28 Anum Presby SHS – 19

3 (CNC) Ghana National College – 38 St. Monica's SHS – 22 Presby SHS, Suhum – 16

4 (Main) Osei Tutu SHS – 44 Presby SHTS, Osino – 33 Ahantaman Girls' SHS – 29

5 (SMS) Ofori Panin SHS – 45 St. Peter's SHS – 41 Winneba Secondary School – 33

6 (CNC) Pope John SHS & Min. Sem. – 72 Sonrise Christian High School – 30 Sogakope SHS – 25

7 (Main) St. John's Grammar School – 43 Mpraeso SHS – 23 Tema Secondary School – 13

8 (SMS) Aburi Girls' SHS – 38 St. Joseph Seminary SHS – 20 Fafraha Community SHS – 12

9 (CNC) St. Augustine's College – 39 Anlo SHS – 34 Kumasi High School – 24

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St Augustine’s College was declared the winner by forfeiture after Anlo SHS and Kumasi High School left the stage before the Riddles round.

Pope John SHS & Minor Seminary produced the highest score of the day, finishing on 72 points after answering all four Riddles correctly.

Prempeh College was next with 66 points, while Keta SHTS scored 56. Ofori Panin's 45-point victory was particularly significant because the school defeated three-time champions St Peter’s and regained seeded status after seven years.

St John’s Grammar also produced one of the day's major upsets, eliminating seeded Mpraeso SHS with 43 points against 23.

There were no ties requiring a tie-breaker among the nine completed Wednesday contests.

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The most contentious contest was Contest 9.

St Augustine’s initially protested an answer involving the meninges. After consultation with the relevant consultant, the Quiz Mistress awarded Augusco a partial point. A further one-point adjustment was also made over an issue concerning the Problem of the Day.

At the end of Round Four, Augusco had 39 points, Anlo had 34 and Kumasi High had 24 in the official NSMQ results. The final Riddles round was not played after Anlo and KUHIS walked off the stage. St Augustine’s College was subsequently declared the winner by forfeiture.

For the tracker, the official score should therefore be recorded as 39–34–24, with Augusco marked as the winner by forfeiture.

The official NSMQ fixture list has nine contests scheduled today across the Main Auditorium, SMS Auditorium and CNC Auditorium.

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Koforidua Secondary Technical School

St Francis Xavier Junior Seminary

Labone SHS

St James Seminary SHS

Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS

Wesley High School, Bekwai

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Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School

St Louis SHS

Islamic SHS, Kumasi

SMS Auditorium

Mawuli School

St Hubert Seminary SHS

Konongo Odumase SHS

St John’s School

Benkum SHS

Nandom SHS

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Our Lady of Grace SHS

Presby SHS, Bompata

Kumasi Secondary Technical School

CNC Auditorium

St Thomas Aquinas SHS

Tamale SHS

Edinaman SHS

Swedru Secondary School

Kpando SHS

Saviour SHS

Mfantsipim School

Wesley Girls’ High School

Afua Kobi Ampem Girls’ SHS

The official fixture page confirms that these contests form Thursday's schedule.

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After Wednesday's nine contests, nine schools have secured quarter-final places:

Prempeh College

Keta SHTS

Ghana National College

Osei Tutu SHS

Ofori Panin SHS

Pope John SHS & Minor Seminary

St John’s Grammar School

Aburi Girls’ SHS

St Augustine’s College

The first three qualifiers, Prempeh, Keta and Ghana National, are already confirmed for a quarter-final contest together

The full quarter-final bracket has not yet been officially released. The confirmed schedule currently shows the One-eighth Stage running from August 26–28, followed by the quarter-finals from August 30 to September 1.

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For all 18 schools competing today, the equation is straightforward: finish first in the three-school contest to book a quarter-final place.

The stakes are particularly high for schools facing seeded opponents, as a defeat can end a campaign or, for a seeded school, result in the loss of its seeded position. Ofori Panin and St John’s Grammar demonstrated on Wednesday that seeded status does not guarantee progression.

One-eighth Stage: August 26–28

Quarter-finals: August 30–September 1

Semi-finals: September 3

Grand Finale: September 10 in Accra