‘CAF to announce WAFCON 2024 date this month’ – General Secretary

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The date for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) might be announced before the end of this month amidst uncertainty and intending postponement of the African women’s football Mundial.

This year’s WAFCON is billed to take place in the middle of the year but two African teams; Nigeria and Zambia will be playing at the Olympics making it impossible for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to stage the tournament in the middle of the year.

Veron Mosengo-Omba, CAF general secretary has stated that this year’s WAFCON date announcement is getting closer amidst Scheduling calendar headaches.

“We are supposed to play this year but we have teams engaged in the Olympics, so we have to find another date,” Mosengo-Omba explained to BBC Sport Africa.

“We are talking with Uefa, because most of the players are playing in Europe, the European Club Association and also with Fifa in order to find [a] suitable date.”

Mosengo-Omba promised that an announcement on the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco would arrive by the end of this month – revealing there is a strong chance it could be switched to next year.

Mosengo-Omba says Caf’s only option for scheduling Wafcon this year would involve playing it outside of an agreed international window – meaning club sides would not be compelled to release their stellar names.

Meanwhile, Desiree Ellis, coach of reigning African champions, South Africa says the crowded schedule is evidence of rapid growth in the women’s game – but she remains critical of Caf’s handling of the situation.

“If it (Wafcon) is postponed or cancelled, it will be a huge, huge disappointment,” the 61-year-old told BBC Sport Africa, pointing out that the 2020 Nations Cup was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, unlike the men’s 2021 tournament which was merely postponed.

“The growth of women’s football over the last couple of years has really shot through the roof, especially on the African continent.

“Just communicate whether it’s happening or whether it’s not happening so we know how to prepare going forward.”

Women’s football in Africa is on the rise with two record transfers by Zambian duo of Rachel Kundananji and Barbra Banda who both moved to the United States of America (USA).