Super Falcons’ Bid for 11th Title Faces Delay as CAF Reviews Morocco 2026
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to announce within the next 48 hours the fate of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026, a tournament that doubles as qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Originally scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3 in Morocco, the competition has been clouded by uncertainty in recent weeks.
Reports suggest Morocco has indicated it cannot host the tournament at the advertised time but wishes to retain hosting rights, with August being considered as a possible alternative window.
CAF’s Director of Communications, Lux September, confirmed the urgency of the matter in a post on X: ‘CAF will communicate within the next 48 hours on the situation regarding the TotalEnergiesWAFCON26. There have been several discussions for weeks. The matter is receiving urgent and high-level attention.’
South Africa had earlier expressed readiness to step in as emergency hosts, but CAF regulations stipulate that if Morocco withdraws, they would be disqualified from the finals.
A similar precedent occurred last year when Ivory Coast pulled out of hosting the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, leading to Egypt stepping in at short notice.
The stakes are high for Morocco, which has invested heavily in women’s football. Should they be disqualified, they would miss out on automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup, which is reserved for the four WAFCON semi-finalists.
This year’s edition promises to be historic, with a record 16 teams set to compete, including defending champions Nigeria, 2022 winners South Africa, bronze medallists Ghana, and debutants Kenya.
However, the Super Falcons’ bid for a record-extending 11th WAFCON crown may not begin this month as initially advertised, pending CAF’s final decision.
