Morocco to host 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations with expanded format

By Evelyn Mensah — 27 July 2026 — 3 min read

Expanded Tournament in Morocco

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is set to take place in Morocco, featuring an expanded format with 16 teams. This marks an increase from the 12 teams that participated in the previous edition. The tournament also serves as a qualification pathway for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Morocco will host the event for the third consecutive time. The host nation’s team, the Atlas Lionesses, will compete in Group A against Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya. In past finals, Morocco has faced Nigeria and South Africa as hosts.

Nigeria, the 10-time title-holders and defending champions, are considered a strong contender. Only Equatorial Guinea, with two titles, and South Africa, with one title, have also been crowned champions since the tournament’s inception in 1998. Equatorial Guinea did not qualify for this edition.

Teams and Broadcast Information

South Africa is positioned as the top seed in Group B, where they will compete against Tanzania, the Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. The tournament will feature new entrants, with Malawi and Cape Verde making their debuts.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has announced extensive coverage for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026. This includes the launch of the CAF TV channel on YouTube in specific international markets, such as the United Kingdom, to address increased global interest.

Additional global coverage for the tournament will be provided by various broadcasters:

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland: DAZN will broadcast all matches.
Israel: Sport 5 will show select matches from the group stages up to the final.
Italy: Sport Italia will broadcast the semi-finals and final with Italian commentary.
Netherlands: The semi-finals and final will be available on Ziggo Sport Totaal channels.

The full list of international markets where CAF TV will offer coverage includes Central America, Mexico, Southern America, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, the Nordics (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland), Spain, Portugal, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Turkey, Russia, Poland, the Balkans, Greece, and the Indian Subcontinent.

Key Players to Watch

Several players are expected to make an impact at the tournament. For Nigeria, forward Esther Okoronkwo, who played a significant role in her country’s previous title run, is one to watch. She contributed two goals and six assists in the last tournament.

Tabitha Chawinga will lead the attack for debutants Malawi. The Lyon forward helped her club secure a fifth consecutive league title in France last season. She is expected to play alongside her younger sister, Temwa, as Malawi faces Nigeria, Zambia, and Egypt in their group.

Morocco’s captain, Ghizlane Chebbak, will aim to secure the trophy after her team reached the final in the past two tournaments. She was the joint top scorer in 2022 and picked up the golden boot last year with five goals. Kenya’s goalkeeper, Lilian Awuor, will be crucial for her team’s chances, having made key saves in qualifying to help Kenya return to WAFCON for the first time since 2016.

Nadine Ghazi, a midfielder for Egypt, will be looking to inspire her team. She was part of the Cleopatras squad in 2016 when she was 14 years old. South Africa’s captain, Refiloe Jane, a midfielder who recently earned her 150th cap, will lead her team in their quest to reclaim the title they won in 2022. Varsenia da Luz, captain of debutants Cape Verde, will also be a player to follow, having scored two vital goals in qualifying for her team.