The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the expansion of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, in a move aimed at boosting competitiveness and promoting the growth of women’s football on the continent.
The decision, announced after a meeting of CAF’s Executive Committee, grants four additional nations — Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Egypt — places in the tournament, despite their failure to qualify through the standard process.
CAF explained that their inclusion was based on their rankings as the highest-placed teams eliminated during the final round of qualifiers.
They will now join hosts Morocco and 11 other qualified nations — Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa, and Senegal — for the competition, scheduled from March 17 to April 3, 2026.
CAF said the expansion forms part of its strategic vision to strengthen the competitiveness of African women’s football and provide more teams the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
“The goal is to create a broader platform for development and exposure, enabling more nations to participate in the continent’s premier women’s football event,” the statement noted.
Reigning champions Nigeria won the 2024 edition, which was postponed to July to align the women’s calendar with the men’s Africa Cup of Nations.
However, the new 2026 schedule is expected to overlap with the Olympic Games, where Nigeria and Zambia will also feature, creating a potential fixture challenge for participating teams.
CAF said it remains committed to addressing such issues as it continues to professionalise and elevate women’s football across Africa.
