CAF Expands Women’s AFCON to 16 Teams as Morocco 2026 Nears Kick-Off
The 2026 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will break new ground when it begins in Morocco on July 26, becoming the first edition of the competition to feature 16 participating nations.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Friday that the expansion from 12 to 16 teams is part of ongoing efforts to accelerate the growth of women’s football across the continent through increased participation, stronger competition and greater developmental investment.
The tournament will get underway in Rabat, where hosts, Morocco will face Kenya at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium. Earlier on the opening day, Algeria and Senegal will meet in another Group A encounter at the city’s Olympic Stadium.
According to CAF, the expanded format represents a major milestone in the history of the competition, which is now in its 14th edition.
The governing body noted that significant progress has been made in the women’s game over the last five years, including a substantial increase in prize money for the tournament winners from $150,000 to $1 million under the leadership of CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
Sixteen countries have qualified for the finals. They are hosts Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, defending champions Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
Matches will be played across five approved venues located in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
Defending champions Nigeria will seek to retain the title after winning a record 10th continental crown at the previous tournament. However, CAF believes the race for the trophy will be highly competitive, with strong challenges expected from hosts Morocco, former champions South Africa, Cameroon and other emerging contenders, including Algeria, Zambia, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The tournament will also carry added significance as it serves as Africa’s qualifying competition for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. CAF said the four quarter-final winners will automatically qualify for the global tournament, while the four losing quarter-finalists will remain eligible through the FIFA play-off route.
With increased investment in women’s football and growing competitiveness among national teams, CAF expects Morocco 2026 to rank among the most fiercely contested editions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
