The executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to expand the Total Energies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, starting from the upcoming edition to be held in Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2026.
This decision is part of CAF’s new strategy aimed at enhancing the capacity and competitiveness of women’s football in Africa, allowing more teams to participate in the continent’s premier competitions.
Since the qualification stage for the 2026 edition has already been completed, the executive committee has approved a special mechanism to select the four additional teams that will join the final list of participating squads.
Based on the latest FIFA women’s world ranking, the four teams selected from those eliminated in the final qualification round are:
– Cameroon (ranked 66th globally)
– Ivory Coast (ranked 71st)
– Mali (ranked 79th)
– Egypt (ranked 95th)
These teams will join the twelve teams that have already qualified for the finals, namely: Morocco (the host), Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa, and Senegal.
CAF confirmed that this expansion aligns with its strategic vision to develop women’s football on the continent and to raise the level of competition among teams. This step is also expected to provide greater opportunities for emerging players and teams to gain experience through continental competitions.
Additionally, CAF’s statement indicated that the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will hold increased significance as it serves as a qualifying tournament for the 2027 Women’s World Cup to be hosted in Brazil.
