The stage is set for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with the group-stage draw delivering a series of mouth-watering matchups that underline the growing depth and competitiveness of African women’s football.
Group A features hosts Morocco, who will be tested by Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya in what promises to be a fiercely contested opening group.
In Group B, former champions South Africa headline a competitive pool that includes Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania.
Group C is arguably the group of death, with record champions Nigeria drawn alongside Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi, setting up several high-stakes clashes from the outset.
Meanwhile, Group D sees Ghana grouped with traditional heavyweights Cameroon, Mali, and Cape Verde, ensuring another unpredictable battle for knockout places.
Host Stadiums (Morocco)
The tournament will be staged across four venues in Morocco:
Moulay Al Hassan Stadium, Rabat
Al Madina Stadium, Rabat
Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca
Complexe Sportif de Fès, Fès
With elite talent spread across all four groups and world-class venues ready to host the action, the 2026 Women’s AFCON is poised to deliver another landmark chapter for African women’s football.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
