Ivory Coast will face Algeria in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after the conclusion of Group B confirmed two of the tournament’s last-eight fixtures.
The Elephants secured their place in the knockout stage by beating Tanzania 2-1 in their final group match, while South Africa also progressed after recording a narrow 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso.
Those results determined the two teams that will represent Group B in the quarter-finals and also established their respective opponents.
Ivory Coast will meet Algeria in the next round, while South Africa will play hosts Morocco this weekend.
The quarter-final stage is scheduled to begin on Saturday, with the remaining teams competing for places in the semi-finals.
Only four of the teams reaching the last eight will advance to the final four, increasing the significance of the opening knockout matches as the competition moves towards its decisive stages.
Ivory Coast’s progression was secured with their victory over Tanzania on Tuesday. The result ensured the Elephants advanced from Group B and set up a meeting with Algeria in the quarter-finals.
South Africa also booked their place in the last eight after edging Burkina Faso 1-0. Their victory means they will now face the host nation, Morocco, as they attempt to continue their challenge for the title.
The completion of the Group B fixtures has therefore provided the first confirmed quarter-final pairings of the tournament.
The remaining quarter-final places will be determined as the other groups conclude, with teams still competing for progression to the knockout stage.
The WAFCON enters its quarter-final phase with the pressure increasing, as teams can no longer afford a poor result if they are to remain in contention for the title.
For Ivory Coast, the immediate challenge is Algeria, while South Africa must prepare to face Morocco on the latter’s home tournament stage.
The quarter-finals will begin on Saturday and will reduce the field to four semi-finalists.
The tournament has already reached the point where the remaining teams are competing not only for progression but also for the opportunity to move closer to the WAFCON title.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons enter the knockout-stage race as the reigning champions. They won the previous edition of the competition after defeating Morocco in the final.
Nigeria’s status as defending champions adds further interest to the later stages of the tournament as the Super Falcons seek to retain their title.
However, the immediate focus following Tuesday’s Group B results is on the confirmed meetings involving Ivory Coast and South Africa.
Ivory Coast’s reward for defeating Tanzania is a quarter-final against Algeria, while South Africa’s win over Burkina Faso has earned them a meeting with hosts Morocco.
The quarter-final stage will begin this weekend, with only four teams ultimately able to advance to the semi-finals.
As the competition moves into the knockout phase, the confirmed fixtures provide the first clear indication of the route towards the latter stages.
Ivory Coast and South Africa have survived the group stage and can now turn their attention to their respective quarter-final opponents, while the remaining teams continue to battle for their own places in the last eight.
