By Dayo Awoniyi
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that Morocco will host the 14th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from March 17 to April 3, 2026 — setting the stage for reigning champions Nigeria to return to familiar ground in their quest to defend the title.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons claimed their record-extending 12th continental crown just days ago, edging hosts Morocco 3-2 in a thrilling 2024 WAFCON final.
Now, they will begin preparations to return to the North African nation in 2026 with their eyes set firmly on back-to-back triumphs.
The final round of qualifiers for the 2026 tournament is scheduled for October 2025, with Nigeria set to begin their title defence campaign against Benin.
In a major boost to participating teams, CAF also announced that all four semi-finalists in the 2026 WAFCON will earn automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, adding significant stakes to the competition.
As anticipation builds, Nigeria — led by head coach Justin Madugu — will look to maintain their dominance on the continent while securing early qualification for the global stage.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
