CAF postpones 2026 WAFCON in Morocco weeks before kick-off

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco just two weeks before the tournament was due to commence, citing “certain unforeseen circumstances” for the decision.

Originally scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3, the competition will now take place from July 25 to August 16, 2026, according to a statement issued by CAF on Wednesday. The tournament also serves as the qualifying pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The new dates place the women’s continental showpiece shortly after the 2026 men’s World Cup. CAF said the postponement followed consultations with partners, FIFA, and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth organisation and overall success of the tournament.

Despite the delay, CAF assured that preparations are ongoing and expressed confidence that the biennial competition would be successfully staged.

Hosting rights for the 2026 edition were awarded to Morocco in October 2024. Nigeria, 10-time champions of the tournament, won the last edition, which was also hosted by the North African nation.

The Super Falcons have been drawn in Group C of the 16-team championship alongside Zambia’s Copper Queens, Malawi’s Scorchers, and Egypt’s Cleopatras.

As part of preparations for the tournament, Nigeria recently defeated Cameroon in a friendly encounter in Yaoundé, bouncing back from a 1-0 loss in the first leg of the two-match series.

When the competition begins, Coach Justin Madugu’s side will be targeting a semi-final finish to secure one of Africa’s qualification slots for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, scheduled to hold from June 24 to July 25, 2027.