WAFCON 2026 Draw Set for Rabat as Expanded Tournament Takes Shape
The roadmap to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will officially be unveiled next Thursday when the Confederation of African Football conducts the tournament draw in Rabat, Morocco.
CAF has confirmed January 15 as the date for the ceremony, which will determine the group-stage fixtures for the expanded 16-nation competition. This upcoming edition represents a historic shift for the tournament, marking the first time WAFCON will feature 16 teams, up from the previous 12.
Ghana’s Black Queens will head into the draw with a strong advantage, having been placed in Pot 1 alongside the continent’s elite. Their top-seeded status follows an impressive showing at the last tournament, where they claimed bronze after edging South Africa in a penalty shootout. Ghana’s rise to third place in Africa’s 2025 rankings further solidified their favourable position.
Morocco will once again welcome Africa’s finest women’s national teams, hosting the tournament for the second straight time. The North African nation will be hoping to replicate the organizational success of the previous edition, which saw Nigeria lift the trophy.
The list of qualified teams features a diverse mix of established powers and emerging contenders, including Morocco, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Algeria, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania.
Beyond continental glory, the stakes are even higher this time, as the tournament will double as Africa’s qualification pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The draw ceremony is scheduled to begin at 13:00 GMT and is expected to attract widespread attention across the continent.
