Caf Delays Wafcon 2026 Weeks Before Kick-Off

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has postponed the 2026 edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) just 12 days before the tournament was scheduled to begin in Morocco.

In a statement released on Thursday, Caf announced that the competition had been rescheduled due to “unforeseen circumstances”. The tournament will now take place from 25 July to 16 August.

The event had originally been set to run from 17 March to 3 April and will also serve as a qualifying competition for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Morocco had been preparing to host the finals for a third consecutive time. However, uncertainty over the country’s readiness had caused growing concern among players and supporters in recent weeks, particularly amid speculation that the hosting rights might be transferred elsewhere.

Questions about Morocco’s preparedness intensified following the chaotic aftermath of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final. In that match, Senegal national football team defeated Morocco national football team 1-0 in a tense encounter at the Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.

Despite the speculation, Caf said preparations for Wafcon are continuing and did not indicate any change to the host nation.

The governing body explained that the postponement was intended to “ensure the success of this important women’s competition”. The group-stage draw for the expanded 16-team tournament had already been held on 15 January, though Caf had yet to release the full match schedule.

Earlier uncertainty surrounding the tournament had already drawn attention. At the beginning of February, Gayton McKenzie, the sports minister of South Africa, was forced to clarify remarks made by his deputy suggesting South Africa might take over hosting duties.

The latest delay is likely to renew criticism over Caf’s handling of women’s football competitions. The 2020 edition of Wafcon was cancelled entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations was pushed back to early 2022.

The most recent Wafcon tournament, held in 2024, was also delayed until July because of scheduling conflicts that included the 2024 Summer Olympics. That edition was eventually won by the Nigeria women’s national football team.

Wafcon is now the second major continental tournament to be postponed at short notice in recent months. In late 2024, Caf also delayed the African Nations Championship just 18 days before it was due to start across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in February 2025.

At the time, Caf said its technical experts had advised that additional time was required to ensure infrastructure and facilities met the necessary standards. The tournament was eventually staged in August last year.