CAF Approves 16-Team Format For 2026 Women’s AFCON, Names Four Additional Countries

05 Nov 2025, 10:40 by Richard Ogunsile · Naija News

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the expansion of the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, beginning with the 2026 edition scheduled to be held in Morocco between March 17 and April 3, 2026.

Naija News reports that CAF announced the development in a statement published on its official website on Wednesday, November 5, describing the move as part of its long-term plan to strengthen competition and advance women’s football across the continent.

According to the statement, the expansion aligns with CAF’s strategic vision of creating more opportunities for women’s teams while promoting inclusivity and exposure at the continental level.

“As the qualification phase for the 2026 edition has already been completed, the Executive Committee has approved the selection mechanism to determine the four additional teams,” the statement read.

The decision means that four extra nations have been added to the list of finalists based on their FIFA Women’s World Rankings.

CAF confirmed that Cameroon (ranked 66th globally), Côte d’Ivoire (71st), Mali (79th), and Egypt (95th) will join the 12 nations that had already qualified for the tournament.

These new entrants will now feature alongside Morocco (hosts), Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa, and Senegal.

CAF explained that the expansion will enhance competitiveness and boost global visibility for African women’s football, giving more nations the opportunity to gain tournament experience and showcase their talent.

“The expansion will enable more African nations to gain exposure on the continental stage while boosting the global visibility of women’s football from Africa,” CAF stated.

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will also double as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in Brazil.

With the expanded format, it is expected that the tournament will be more competitive and entertaining, marking another milestone in the steady rise of women’s football across Africa.