The Confederation of African Football has officially announced the rescheduling of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026.
Originally slated to take place in Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2026, the continental women’s showpiece will now be held from July 25 to August 16, 2026.
CAF confirmed that the decision followed consultations with FIFA and other key stakeholders to ensure the successful organization of the competition.
In a statement, the governing body explained that the adjustment was necessary due to unforeseen circumstances affecting the original schedule.
“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 July 25 – August 16, 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition.”
Despite the change in dates, Morocco will retain the hosting rights for the tournament.
CAF also reassured participating nations that preparations for the competition are progressing smoothly, expressing confidence that the tournament will deliver a successful edition.
The rescheduling provides teams — including reigning champions Nigeria women’s national football team — additional time to finalize preparations ahead of the continental championship, which will also serve as a key pathway toward qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
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.
