The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will be postponed to July–August, ending weeks of uncertainty about whether the tournament would take place as scheduled this month.
The competition also acts as part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Four African teams will qualify automatically for the tournament, while two additional sides will enter the intercontinental play-off qualifiers.
WAFCON was originally set to run from March 17 to April 3 in Morocco. However, the host nation requested a change of dates due to what CAF described as “unforeseen circumstances.”
In a statement released Thursday, CAF said that after discussions with its partners, including FIFA and other stakeholders, the tournament would now take place from 25 July to 16 August 2026.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026 to 25 July – 16 August 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” the organization said.
CAF did not provide further details about the reasons behind the postponement but added that preparations for the tournament are ongoing and that organizers remain confident it will be a success.
For the first time, the competition will feature 16 teams in the finals. Nigeria women’s national football team enter the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2024 edition, which was played last year following an earlier postponement.