The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations could produce a new champion, with 14 of the 16 teams competing yet to win the continental title.
Only three countries have lifted the Women’s AFCON trophy since the tournament’s final phase was introduced in 1998 – Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
Of the teams involved in this year’s competition, only defending champions Nigeria and South Africa have previously won the tournament. Equatorial Guinea, who have claimed the title twice, failed to qualify for the 2026 edition.
The large number of teams still seeking a maiden triumph means that 87.5% of the tournament’s participants are chasing their first Women’s AFCON crown.
The expansion of the competition to 16 teams, from 12 in the previous two editions, has contributed significantly to the unusually high number of nations without a title.
The 14 teams yet to win the tournament are divided across the four groups.
Group A contains hosts Morocco, Algeria, Senegal and Kenya, while Group B features Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.
Zambia, Egypt and Malawi make up Group C, with Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde competing in Group D.
For several of the contenders, the challenge is not entirely unfamiliar. Ghana, Cameroon and Morocco have all previously reached the final and experienced the disappointment of falling short of becoming champions.
Ghana have lost three finals to Nigeria. Their defeats came in 1998, 2002 and 2006, with the West African rivals repeatedly standing between them and their first continental title.
Cameroon have also suffered three final defeats against Nigeria. The Indomitable Lionesses were beaten by the Super Falcons in the 2004, 2014 and 2016 finals.
Morocco are the most recent of the three nations to have come close to winning the trophy.
The Atlas Lionesses reached the final in the last two editions of the competition. They were beaten by South Africa in 2022 before losing to Nigeria in 2024.
Their back-to-back appearances in the final underline Morocco’s progress in the competition, but they remain among the 14 nations still searching for a first title.
The history of the Women’s AFCON finals also demonstrates Nigeria’s extraordinary dominance. The Super Falcons have won 10 of the 13 tournaments staged since 1998 and enter the 2026 competition as reigning champions.
That record means any country hoping to win the trophy for the first time will have to overcome the most successful side in the history of the competition.
For the 14 challengers, the opportunity is significant. Winning the 2026 Women’s AFCON would not only deliver a maiden continental title but also add a fourth name to the tournament’s list of champions.
The competition has so far been dominated by Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa. With Equatorial Guinea absent this year and only Nigeria and South Africa among the participating teams having previously won the title, the door is open for a new nation to make history.
The expanded 16-team format has also created the possibility of a fresh name being added to the roll of honour.
Morocco, Ghana and Cameroon have already demonstrated that they can reach the final, although none has yet managed to complete the final step. For the remaining contenders, the tournament represents an opportunity to go further than any previous campaign and challenge for the biggest prize in African women’s football.
The 2026 Women’s AFCON will therefore be closely watched for the possibility of a new champion emerging.
Nigeria will begin the tournament seeking to defend its crown and add to its remarkable collection of titles. The 14 nations without a trophy, meanwhile, will be attempting to end Nigeria’s long-standing dominance and secure a place in the history of the competition.
Should any of them succeed, the tournament’s exclusive group of champions would expand to four nations.
But with Nigeria having won 10 of the 13 editions held since 1998, the challenge facing the 14 title hopefuls is clear: they must find a way to dethrone the reigning champions and finally claim the Women’s AFCON crown for themselves.
