The 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations began on Saturday, July 5, with a match between the host country, Morocco, and Zambia. The tournament runs from July 5 to July 27. Games are scheduled across six stadiums in five Moroccan cities: the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, Larbi Zaouli Stadium and Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca, El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia, Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, and Berkane Stadium in Berkane.
The Teams
The tournament features 12 teams, each vying for dominance at the top level of the continent. The teams seek qualification for the World Cup as the top four teams are chosen to the tournament.
Nigeria
The Super Falcons are the most successful team at the WAFCON, having won nine of the 12 editions since the tournament’s inception in 1988. Last year, the Nigerian side finished medal-less after losing the third-place match to the Zambian Copper Queens (1-0). The team returned with some of the top talent on the continent and hopes to regain its dominance once again.
Senegal
This is the third time Senegal has made it to this stage. The team has not left the group stages in the previous tournaments it has competed in. Senegal’s squad is ambitious to make a name for itself at the tournament with its young squad.
Morocco
This is the second time Morocco has hosted the WAFCON, following its hosting of the 2022 edition. The Atlas lionesses didn’t play past the group stages in two of the editions they played in, but came in second in the 2022 edition. The team is ready to take it to the next level this year, relying on its home advantage and the confidence it gained from the previous edition.
Zambia
The Cooper Queens are once again led by Barbra Banda as they seek their first WAFCON championship. The highest the team has achieved at the tournament was in the 2022 edition, where they frustrated the nine-time champions, Nigeria, to secure third place (Bronze). With its largely internationally based squad, the team hopes it can carry the trophy in this edition.
DR Congo
In the 1998 edition, DR Congo Les Léopards dames went as far as the third-place game. They ended in a draw (3-3) against Cameroon. They managed to finish third after a penalty shootout (3-1) and that is the last time the team has made it that far in the tournament. The team entered the tournament optimistic about advancing past the group stages, as it had failed to do so in its previous appearances. It qualified for the tournament in a narrow aggregate against Equatorial Guinea. The team may be an underdog, but it will surprise one or two teams at the games.
Algeria
In the past nine editions, the Fennecs have advanced to the group stage five times, withdrawn in 2012, and failed to qualify three times. The Algerian side was not at the last edition of the games. It has a lot to prove coming back at this stage. Its squad is a blend of international-based players and local players.
Botswana
This is the second time the Mares have qualified for this continental tournament. In their first appearance, the team made it as far as the quarterfinals but lost to Morocco (2-1). It is a young team at this stage, but it has proved to be an opponent worth watching and preparing for.
Ghana
The Black Queens have scooped silver thrice (1998, 2002, 2006) in games they lost to Nigeria. They have also taken home bronze three times. They missed out on the 2022 edition as they did not qualify, but as they return to this stage, the Ghanaians are seeking their old lost glory from the group stages. Their squad is led by its new Swedish coach, Kim Lars Björkegren and comes into the tournament on a high, looking at its impressive performance in the build-up games.
Mali
The team has been at the games eight times and the highest they have gone was a third-place game where they lost to Cameroon (4-2). Mali has a predominantly locally based squad, beefed up by European-based players.
South Africa
The South African Bafana Bafana are currently the reigning champions, having won the 2022 WAFCON. They played against Morocco in the final game, which they won 2-1. This was the first time South Africans had won the tournament. In the previous years, the team played in the finals four times but lost to Nigeria twice (in 2000 and 2018) and Equatorial Guinea (in 2008 and 2012). The team is optimistic about retaining the trophy, with a large number of veteran players returning and bolstered by other youngsters.
Tanzania
The East African team makes its second appearance at the games since 2010. The team Tanzania, who were recently crowned CECAFA champions, brings a youthful squad filled with homegrown talent.
Tunisia
In the 2022 edition, the team advanced to the quarterfinals. Like most teams, the Tunisian side is fielding a blend of international and local players, hopeful to go further past the group stages this year.
New Trophy
In a ceremonious event, on July 2, CAF unveiled a new WAFCON trophy to celebrate the growth and milestones of African women’s soccer. The trophy draws inspiration from the men’s AFCON trophy and alludes to the equality, excellence, and unity the tournament seeks to achieve.
The trophy’s design is the same, with petals spiraling upward, each representing a participating team, to form a blooming flower.
Cash Prizes
The winners of the 2024 WAFCON will receive a cash prize of $1,000,000, the runner-up will receive $500,000, and third place will receive $350,000. The fourth-placed team will get $300,000, while the four quarterfinalists each receive $200,000. Teams that don’t advance past the group stage, in third and fourth place, will earn $150,000 and $125,000, respectively. This marks an increase from previous editions, where the winners took home $500,000.
