CAF postpones 2026 WAFCON to July

By: Sunday Ameh

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) to July following what it described as “unforeseen circumstances” affecting preparations in Morocco.

In a statement released on Thursday, CAF announced that the tournament, initially scheduled to hold from March 17 to April 3, 2026, will now take place between July 25 and August 16, 2026.

According to the continental football governing body, the decision was reached after consultations with FIFA and other stakeholders to ensure the successful organization of the competition.

CAF said the adjustment became necessary to guarantee proper planning and execution of the tournament.

“In October 2024, CAF granted the hosting rights for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 to Morocco, and the tournament was scheduled to take place from March 17 to April 3, 2026,” the statement said.

“After discussions between CAF and its partners, including FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the competition to July 25 – August 16, 2026, to ensure the success of this important women’s football tournament.”

The tournament will also serve as part of the qualification process for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup scheduled to be hosted in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic qualification.

Nigeria’s Nigeria women’s national football team, popularly known as the Super Falcons, are the defending champions and have been drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi.

CAF added that preparations for the tournament are already underway, expressing confidence that the competition will be successfully delivered despite the schedule adjustment.