Rabat, Morocco — Africa’s premier women’s football tournament returns to Morocco this weekend for a historic edition that will decide both continental supremacy and places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026, the 14th staging of the competition, runs from 26 July to 16 August. For the first time, 16 nations will compete, split into four groups of four. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals.
Morocco hosts for a third consecutive edition. Matches will be staged across five venues in Rabat (Stade Moulay El Hassan, Stade Al Madina and Stade Olympique) and Casablanca (Stade Larbi Zaouli and Stade Moulay Rachid).
Nigeria, the defending champions and record 10-time winners, head Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and Malawi. Hosts Morocco are drawn in Group A with Algeria, Senegal and Kenya.
Opening fixtures
The tournament begins on Sunday, 26 July:
- 18:00 WAT – Algeria vs Senegal at the Olympic Stadium, Rabat (Group A)
- 21:00 WAT – Morocco vs Kenya at Stade Moulay El Hassan, Rabat (Group A)
Subsequent opening-round matches are:
- Monday 27 July: South Africa vs Tanzania (18:00, Stade Moulay Rachid, Casablanca); Côte d’Ivoire vs Burkina Faso (21:00, Stade Larbi Zaouli, Casablanca)
- Tuesday 28 July: Zambia vs Egypt (18:00, Olympic Stadium, Rabat); Nigeria vs Malawi (21:00, Stade Al Madina, Rabat)
- Wednesday 29 July: Ghana vs Cape Verde (18:00, Stade Moulay Rachid, Casablanca); Cameroon vs Mali (21:00, Stade Larbi Zaouli, Casablanca)
Full group stage draw
Group A (Rabat) 🇲🇦 Morocco (hosts) | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 🇰🇪 Kenya
Group B (Casablanca) 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Group C (Rabat) 🇳🇬 Nigeria (holders) | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 🇲🇼 Malawi
Group D (Casablanca) 🇬🇭 Ghana | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 🇲🇱 Mali | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde
Knockout path and World Cup stakes
Group matches conclude on 6 August. Quarter-finals take place on 8–9 August, semi-finals on 12 August, with the third-place play-off on 15 August and the final on Sunday, 16 August at Stade Moulay El Hassan in Rabat.
The top four teams (semi-finalists) will secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The tournament also features a boosted prize structure, including a $2 million winner’s prize.
Nigeria enter as clear favourites after claiming a record-extending 10th title by beating hosts Morocco in the previous final. Morocco will be determined to go one better on home soil after successive runners-up finishes, while South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana and Zambia are among the sides expected to challenge strongly.
The expanded 16-team format marks a significant step forward for African women’s football, offering more nations competitive opportunities and raising the overall standard of the competition.
