Countdown to 14th WAFCON Morocco 2026 gathers momentum

The countdown to the 14th TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026 is gathering momentum with just 30 days left until the finals.

The 2026 WAFCON, which will be hosted by Morocco, kicks off on Sunday, July 26, at Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

Host Morocco will face East African side Kenya, with kick-off time set for 21h00 local time (20h00 GMT).

Algeria will face Senegal in the other Group A match at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 18h00 local time (17h00 GMT).

This year’s finals will serve as Africa’s qualification tournament for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.

The four quarter-final winners will secure automatic qualification to the global showpiece, while the four teams eliminated at that stage will remain in contention through the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off pathway.

The 2026 WAFCON will be staged across the cities of Rabat and Casablanca, with five CAF-approved venues selected to host matches and official training activities.

The venues are Stade Moulay El Hassan, Stade Al Madina and Stade Olympique in Rabat, as well as Stade Larbi Zaouli and Stade Moulay Rachid in Casablanca.

Defending champions Nigeria enter the tournament seeking to retain the title after winning a record-extending tenth continental crown at the previous edition.

However, the Super Falcons are expected to face strong competition from across the continent, including hosts Morocco, former champions South Africa, traditional powerhouses such as Cameroon and emerging contenders including Algeria, Zambia, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

The WAFCON, considered as Africa’s premier women’s football tournament, continues to reflect the significant progress made in the women’s game across the continent, underpinned by CAF’s strategic commitment to increased investment in women’s football.

CAF has made significant progress in growing and developing women’s football. Over the last five years, the prize money for the winners of the WAFCON has increased from $150,000 to $1 million.

Under Patrice Motsepe, as CAF President, the tournament was expanded from 12 to 16, marking a significant milestone in the history of the competition.

The expansion forms part of CAF’s broader women’s football strategy to strengthen the women’s game through increased participation opportunities, enhanced competition structures and greater investment in football development across the continent.

The 16 nations that have qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 are: Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria (defending champions), Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.