The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 final between Cameroon and Malawi will be played at the 22,000-capacity Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, rather than the much larger Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
The venue had remained uncertain until the final stages of the tournament, with both stadiums listed for Sunday’s match on the Confederation of African Football’s official calendar and social media channels.
The decision was closely linked to Morocco’s progress in the competition. Had the host nation reached the final, the match was expected to take place at Prince Moulay Abdellah, which can hold 69,500 spectators and staged the men’s Africa Cup of Nations final in January.
Morocco were beaten by Cameroon in the semi-finals, losing 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. With the hosts no longer involved, the final will instead be held at Moulay El Hassan, a venue already used extensively during the tournament.
The two teams involved in the final announced the stadium choice, while CAF had not formally confirmed it in the days leading up to the match.
The situation was unusual because continental finals are normally assigned to a venue well in advance. In this case, leaving both options available allowed tournament organisers to respond to Morocco’s eventual result.
Moulay El Hassan is a newly built urban sports complex constructed on the historic site of Fath Union Sport (FUS). The original stadium was demolished and rebuilt from the ground up to meet the standards required of tournament venues. It opened in November 2025 and has hosted six matches at this Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, including Morocco’s games through to the semi-finals.
The stadium also staged group matches and a last-16 tie at the men’s Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Prince Moulay Abdellah, by contrast, is one of Morocco’s major new sporting landmarks. Opened in September 2025, it has 69,500 seats and was the second-largest stadium used at the men’s Africa Cup of Nations, behind the venue in Tangier. It subsequently hosted the men’s final in January.
The ground was built as part of Morocco’s preparations to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup and reflects the country’s ambitions to establish itself as a major centre for international football.
The choice between the two Rabat stadiums was therefore less about practical organisation than the identity of the finalists. A Moroccan appearance would have justified using the larger stadium, giving the home supporters the biggest possible stage while also offering the organisers the chance to maximise attendance, atmosphere and revenue.
Selecting the smaller ground from the outset could have appeared to “snober” the host nation. At the same time, committing to a 69,500-capacity stadium without Morocco in the final carried the risk of creating a visibly sparse crowd.
Morocco’s matches had generally struggled to fill Moulay El Hassan. Fewer than 19,000 spectators attended their semi-final, while matches involving other nations were often played in a much quieter atmosphere.
Keeping both venues under consideration until the outcome of the semi-finals was therefore a pragmatic measure. It gave CAF flexibility while avoiding an early decision that might have been politically awkward for the host country or commercially risky for the final.
The result is that Cameroon and Malawi will contest the title at the more intimate Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.
