CAF postpones WAFCON 2026 to July

Confederation of African Football has officially postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, moving the tournament from its original March schedule to a new window between July and August.

The continental football governing body confirmed the decision in a statement published on its website on Thursday, March 5, bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty surrounding the competition. Morocco, which secured the hosting rights for the tournament in October 2024, will now stage the event from July 25 to August 16, 2026, instead of the initially planned dates of March 17 to April 3.

CAF said the change followed consultations with FIFA and other stakeholders involved in organising the competition.

“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 to 25 July – 16 August 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” the organisation said.

CAF added that preparations for the tournament were ongoing and expressed confidence that the event would meet expectations. “Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” the statement added.

The decision comes amid concerns over the readiness of the tournament, with several key pre-competition arrangements yet to be finalised before the original kickoff date. Issues such as confirming venues for knockout matches, accreditation for journalists, match officials and technical workshops had not been completed, while promotional activities around the tournament had also been limited.

For defending champions Nigeria, the new dates could provide additional preparation time ahead of their title defence. The team recently completed a two-match friendly series against Cameroon women’s national football team in Yaoundé, losing the first game 1–0 before responding with a 3–1 victory in the return leg.

The competition will also serve as Africa’s qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Under the qualification format, the four semi-finalists will secure automatic places at the global tournament, while another African nation will have the opportunity to qualify through an intercontinental playoff.