Sixteen national sides will compete for the African title and four coveted FIFA Women’s World Cup places when the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco on Sunday.
As hosts, Morocco will again be at the heart of the continent’s showpiece, but the stakes go well beyond the trophy. The tournament doubles as the African qualifying route for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with only the semi-finalists guaranteed a place on the global stage.
The champions, runners-up and both beaten semi-finalists will secure Africa’s four automatic berths, turning every knockout tie into a high-pressure encounter with World Cup implications.
Continental heavyweights return
Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana and South Africa arrive with recent pedigree at this level, having filled the semi-final line-up at the last edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Then, it was Nigeria who ultimately emerged as champions, underlining their status as the dominant force in African women’s football. The Super Falcons claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over hosts Morocco in the final, a result that delivered what was widely hailed as their “Decima” – a 10th continental crown.
Morocco, backed by a passionate home support, had pushed Nigeria all the way but fell just short of a first-ever title. The Atlas Lionesses now have another chance to turn home advantage into silverware while also confirming their presence at the World Cup.
Ghana, meanwhile, finished third last time out after overcoming South Africa in a tense play-off for the final place on the podium. The match ended 1-1 after normal time before Ghana prevailed on penalties.
South Africa seeking response
For South Africa, that defeat was particularly painful. Banyana Banyana went into that third-place match as the reigning African champions but missed out on a medal after losing the shootout to Ghana.
The former champions will come into this year’s tournament with a point to prove, aiming both to reclaim their position among the continent’s elite and to ensure they do not miss out on Brazil.
Ghana, buoyed by their previous success in the third-place play-off, will again be targeting at least a semi-final berth as they chase a return to the World Cup and attempt to close the gap on Nigeria.
With Nigeria defending their title, Morocco hoping to go one better on home soil, Ghana seeking to build on their recent podium finish and South Africa looking for redemption, the battle for both the African crown and those four World Cup tickets promises to be intense from the opening match in Morocco.
