The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will now have 16 teams instead of the previous 12, thanks to an approved expansion by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
&format=jpeg "CAF confirms the 16-team format for WAFCON in 2026, adding 4 new countries.")
Along with Morocco (hosts), Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa, and Senegal, these four teams join the twelve countries who have previously qualified.
The competition will take place in Morocco between March 17 and April 3, 2026.
Rankings for the Choices
FIFA Women’s World Ranking rankings as of the last qualification stage were used to choose the remaining four qualifiers:
- Cameroon – Ranked 66th
- Ivory Coast – 71st
- Mali – 79th
- Egypt – 95th
Significance of the Tournament
Additionally, the WAFCON is Africa’s route to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will take place in Brazil. Increasing the pitch size to 16 teams boosts the number of countries that can compete for World Cup spots and raises the bar for competition throughout all of Africa.
Scheduling Context & Reigning Champions
Nigeria, the reigning WAFCON champions from 2024, will compete in the 2026 competition. After CAF moved the women’s tournament date to better coincide with the men’s event, the previous edition took place a year later than originally planned. But this coincided with the Olympic Games, which included both Zambia and Nigeria.
The Implications of the Growth for African Women’s Football
Greater representation throughout the continent
Enhanced exposure for developing football nations
Talent routes and more competitive matches
increased readiness for the 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifications
The expansion reflects CAF’s dedication to creating a more robust and globally competitive women’s football ecosystem and is a significant turning point in the continued growth of women’s football in Africa.
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