Friday, March, 6 2026 - Confederation of African Football has officially postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, moving the tournament from its original March schedule to a new window between July and August.
The continental football governing body confirmed the
decision in a statement published on its website on Thursday, March 5, bringing
an end to weeks of uncertainty surrounding the competition. Morocco, which
secured the hosting rights for the tournament in October 2024, will now stage
the event from July 25 to August 16, 2026, instead of the initially planned
dates of March 17 to April 3.
CAF said the change followed consultations with FIFA and
other stakeholders involved in organizing the competition.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and
other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies
CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 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 added that preparations for the tournament were ongoing
and expressed confidence that the event would meet expectations. “Preparations
for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 are underway and
all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” the statement
added.
The decision comes amid concerns over the readiness of the
tournament, with several key pre-competition arrangements yet to be finalised
before the original kickoff date. Issues such as confirming venues for knockout
matches, accreditation for journalists, match officials and technical workshops
had not been completed, while promotional activities around the tournament had
also been limited.
For defending champions Nigeria, the new dates could provide
additional preparation time ahead of their title defence. The team recently
completed a two-match friendly series against Cameroon women's national
football team in Yaoundé, losing the first game 1–0 before responding with a
3–1 victory in the return leg.
The competition will also serve as Africa’s qualification
pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Under the qualification
format, the four semi-finalists will secure automatic places at the global
tournament, while another African nation will have the opportunity to qualify
through an intercontinental playoff.
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