Everything you need to know about WAFCON 2026 finals

DAR ES SALAAM: THE 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is set to be a landmark event for continental football, scheduled to take place in Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2026.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, the field has expanded from 12 to 16 teams, reflecting the rapid growth and rising competitiveness of the women’s game across Africa.

The decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to include 16 nations was driven by a strategic vision to increase global reach and exposure.

To facilitate this expansion after qualifiers had already concluded, CAF invited the four highest-ranked teams previously eliminated in the final qualifying round to join the tournament Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Egypt.

This year also marks the debut of Malawi and Cape Verde, signalling a new wave of emerging talent on the continental stage.

While the ultimate goal is the continental crown, the stakes are elevated as the tournament serves as the official African qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The four semi-finalists will secure automatic berths to the global showpiece, with two additional teams entering inter-confederation playoffs for a final chance at qualification.

The group stage draw, held on January 15, 2026, in Rabat, has set up several high-octane matchups:

Group A (Rabat): Hosts Morocco face a challenging North African derby against Algeria, alongside Senegal and Kenya.

Group B (Rabat): South Africa leads a competitive pool including Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania.

Group C (Casablanca): Defending champions Nigeria are paired with a rising Zambia side, as well as Egypt and Malawi.

Group D (Fes): Ghana and Cameroon headline a group featuring Mali and Cape Verde.

As Nigeria hunts for a record-extending 11th title and Morocco seeks to finally secure a home victory after three consecutive hosting duties, WAFCON 2026 promises to be the most watched and intense edition to date.