The countdown is on for the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with just 30 days remaining before Africa’s biggest women’s football tournament gets underway in Morocco.
The 14th edition of the prestigious championship will kick off on 26 July in Rabat, where tournament hosts Morocco will face Kenya at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
The opening fixture is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. GMT).
Earlier on the opening day, Algeria will take on Senegal in the other Group A encounter at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium, with kick-off set for 6:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. GMT), setting the stage for an exciting start to the continental showpiece.
This year’s competition marks a landmark moment in the history of African women’s football as the tournament expands from 12 to 16 teams for the first time.
The increase reflects the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) commitment to strengthening the women’s game by creating more opportunities for national teams, improving competition standards and increasing investment in football development across the continent.
CAF has made remarkable strides in advancing women’s football over the past five years. Under the leadership of CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, the prize money for the tournament winners has risen dramatically from 150,000 US dollars to one million US dollars, highlighting the governing body’s determination to elevate the women’s game.
The 16 nations that will compete for continental honours are hosts Morocco, defending champions Nigeria, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
Matches will be played across five CAF-approved venues in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
The selected stadiums include Stade Moulay El Hassan, Stade Al Madina and Stade Olympique in Rabat, alongside Stade Larbi Zaouli and Stade Moulay Rachid in Casablanca.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will arrive in Morocco aiming to defend the title they won in the previous edition and extend their record to an 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations crown.
However, they are expected to face fierce competition from hosts Morocco, reigning African heavyweights South Africa, former champions Cameroon, as well as ambitious challengers including Zambia, Algeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond the continental title, the tournament carries added significance as it will serve as Africa’s qualification event for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The four quarter-final winners will secure automatic qualification for the global tournament, while the four losing quarter-finalists will still have a chance to qualify through the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off pathway.
With increased investment, improved competitiveness and the historic expansion to 16 teams, the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 is widely expected to be one of the most competitive and memorable editions in the tournament’s history.
