CAF postpones Super Falcons' WAFCON 2026 defense in Morocco, announces new date
- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco
- The women's continental event which was initially scheduled to start on March 17 has been shifted by four months
- CAF cited “unforseen circumstances” as the reason for the postponement after weeks of rumours in the African media
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the postponement of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria were set to defend their title in Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2026, when the latest decision was announced.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria played a double-header friendly match against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in preparation for the tournament which has been postponed.
The friendlies, which was to prepare the team for WAFCON. Cameroon won the first leg in Yaounde, and the Falcons won the second leg 3-1, which was also in the Cameroonian capital.
CAF postpones WAFCON 2026
CAF confirmed in an official statement that it had postponed the women's tournament and will now hold from July 25 to August 16 2026 in Morocco.
The confederation reiterated that Morocco remains the host nation after the North African country was awarded the hosting rights in October 2024.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026, to 25 July – 16 August 2026; to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” the statement reads.
“Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful.”
African football fans were displeased at the late postponement, and many expressed their dissatisfaction on social media.
A Nigerian journalist who pleaded anonymity believes CAF indulges Morocco way too much and let them run the affairs of CAF as if its their proxy organisation.
"CAF needs to be liberated from the claws of Morocco. Holding the entire continent to ransom because you have infrastructures doesn't exactly speak well. They try to influence every decision and believes things wouldn't run without them," she told Legit.ng.
"CAF needs to start treating them as just another African nation and not let them exert too much influence on the entire continent."
According to The Athletic, the North Africans hosted it in 2022 and 2024, becoming the first country to host it three consecutive times.
ESPN previously reported that Morocco wanted to relinquish their hosting rights in the middle of January after fallout following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The North Africans reportedly urged CAF to postpone the tournament or move it elsewhere, as hosting multiple international tournaments is affecting their domestic football.
South Africa came forward and we're ready to take up the hosting if Morocco withdraws but nothing developed from them until it was postponed.
The tournament was originally a 12-team event, but CAF expanded it to 12 after the qualifiers ended in November 2025, adding Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and Egypt.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria is the most successful team in the history of the tournament, winning 10 out of the 13 editions held so far and are the defending champions.
Rinsola Babajide slams CAF
Legit.ng reported that Rinsola Babajide slammed CAF after it was announced that the African football governing body had postponed WAFCON 2026.
The Super Falcons star who was part of Nigeria’s title-winning squad in Morocco in 2025 described the postponement two weeks before as an embarrassment.
Source: Legit.ng
