Preparations for the WAFCON 2026
With the 2026 WAFCON scheduled in Morocco, 12 teams are expected to qualify for the tournament, and the host country will automatically qualify.
The first-round games currently involve 32 teams, which are set to play a home and away game. The first round, which is played according to the different FIFA rankings for each country, will be a determinant for the selection of the 16 teams that will compete in the second round in October. Six African teams earned an automatic bye to the second round based on their FIFA World rankings, which are Nigeria (36), South Africa (50), Zambia (62), Ghana (66), Cameroon (69), and Ivory Coast (71).
First Round Games
February 19
South Sudan 0 – 5 Algeria
Niger 0 – 2 Gambia
February 20
Angola 2 – 1 Zimbabwe
Botswana 0 – 2 DR Congo
Tanzania 3 – 1 Equatorial Guinea
Benin 2 – 1 Sierra Leone
Gabon 0 – 6 Mali
February 21
Uganda 2 – 0 Ethiopia
Eswatini 0 – 3 Namibia
Djibouti 0 – 5 Togo
Rwanda 0 – 1 Egypt
Kenya 0 – 0 Tunisia
Guinea 2 – 2 Cape Verde
Deciding Games
Malawi advanced to the second round, with Congo failing to show face for the games. Senegal was also awarded a walkover and advanced to the second round. The games are still underway this week and if the teams tie in the second leg (win-win), the teams will have a penalty shootout to determine the team to proceed to the next level.
More Than a Continental Tournament
Through the WAFCON, the best women’s African teams qualify to represent the continent at the World Cup and other tournaments like the Olympics based on their FIFA rankings. Nigeria currently has the greatest success on the continent, having won the WAFCON championship 11 times. With more African countries increasing their investment in women’s sports, it may be time for more teams to rise to the challenge.
