Ashleigh Plumptre Criticises CAF Over WAFCON 2026 Postponement

Ashleigh Plumptre has criticised the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Nigeria women’s national football team defender, who plays her club football for Al-Ittihad Ladies, expressed her frustration in a video interview shared by Match of the Day after CAF confirmed that the continental tournament had been rescheduled.

Originally scheduled to take place in Morocco from March 17 to April 3, the competition will now be held from July 25 to August 16, 2026.

CAF explained that the postponement was due to unforeseen logistical and organisational challenges discovered after consultations with global football authorities and other stakeholders.

However, Plumptre questioned why such disruptions continue to occur in African women’s football.

“It just wouldn’t happen for other tournaments in women’s football, and especially in men’s football. Last WAFCON wasn’t less important than this one just because it wasn’t qualification for a World Cup,” she said.

Despite her criticism, the 27-year-old acknowledged the significance of the upcoming edition, which will be historic in several ways. The 2026 tournament will feature 16 teams for the first time and will also serve as part of the qualification pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Plumptre noted that the expanded format provides many nations with a rare opportunity to compete on the global stage.

“This is the first time it’s the edition where there are 16 teams, all of which are going to want to be able to go and qualify for the World Cup. And this is a big deal for many teams.

“Many of them haven’t even been in the AFCON before, never mind had the chance to qualify for a World Cup. It also helps them financially as well,” she added.

The defender also spoke about the uncertainty players often face within the women’s game in Africa, saying that adapting to sudden changes has become an unavoidable reality.

“All I can do is just take day by day and prepare myself in the best way that I can because there are so many things I’ve had to get accustomed to, and many other players in African football where you kind of just have to go with it because you have no other choice.”

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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