CAF to expand WAFCON to 16 teams from Morocco 2026

By Samuel Ahmadu

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to expand the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams starting with the 2026 edition in Morocco, marking another historic leap in the evolution and inclusivity of women’s football across Africa.

The decision is expected to be formally ratified during the CAF Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting scheduled for Sunday, 5 October 2025, at the Fleuve Congo Hotel in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the official agenda, CAF’s General Secretary will make a presentation on “the criteria to be applied for selecting the additional teams following the increase in the number of teams from 12 to 16.”

The latest expansion becomes the third in the history of the competition, which began with eight teams at its inaugural edition, before being increased to 12 teams at WAFCON 2022, and now expanded again four years later to 16.

Stakeholders have lauded the back-to-back expansion steps under the leadership of Dr Patrice Motsepe as the move aligns with CAF’s vision to promote wider participation, strengthen competition, and ensure that more nations benefit from the growing momentum of women’s football across the continent.

Nigeria are the defending WAFCON champions, having lifted the rebranded trophy at the 2024 edition, where they secured a record-extending 10th continental title, reinforcing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team.

With the first round of WAFCON 2026 qualifiers concluded in February and the second round scheduled for October 20–28, the African women’s football community is eagerly awaiting the full details of the expansion and the criteria for the additional slots.

Importantly, the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco will also serve as the African qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027, giving the expanded championship added significance as teams compete not only for continental glory but also for tickets to the global stage.

The expansion is expected to make WAFCON 2026 the most competitive and inclusive edition yet, reflecting CAF’s sustained efforts to raise the standards, visibility, and opportunities in African women’s football.

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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