“Embarrassing”: Super Falcons Star Reacts to WAFCON Postponement, Aims Dig at CAF
- Rinsola Babajide has criticised CAF after the 2026 WAFCON was postponed just 12 days before kickoff
- The tournament in Morocco was scheduled for March 17 to April 3 but was delayed due to “unforeseen circumstances”
- South Africa has offered to host the competition if Morocco withdraws
Super Falcons midfielder Rinsola Babajide has voiced her frustration after the Confederation of African Football announced the postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The decision from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) came just days before the tournament was scheduled to kick off in Morocco, leaving players and teams across the continent stunned.
Source: Twitter
The competition, which also serves as part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, was originally set to run from March 17 to April 3.
Instead, CAF confirmed it would delay the tournament due to what it described as “unforeseen circumstances,” BBC Sport reports.
For the defending champions, Nigeria women's national football team, the announcement has created fresh uncertainty as the Super Falcons prepare to defend the title they won in the previous edition.
Babajide reacts to CAF decision
Babajide, who played a role in Nigeria’s historic win at the last tournament, did not hide her feelings about the sudden postponement.
Source: Twitter
The Super Falcons midfielder took to social media platform X to express her disappointment, posting a brief but pointed message aimed at the situation.
“It’s actually embarrassing at this point…” she wrote.
Babajide’s reaction quickly gained attention among fans, many of whom share the view that the late postponement reflects poor planning around one of Africa’s most important women’s football tournaments.
The Super Falcons lifted their record-extending 10th continental title in Morocco during the last edition of the competition. That victory further cemented Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s football.
However, the sudden change to the schedule has left players questioning the organisation behind the event, especially given the short notice.
Uncertainty around Morocco hosting
Morocco had been expected to host the tournament for a third consecutive time.
The North African country previously staged successful editions of the competition and had already begun preparations for the 2026 finals.
However, uncertainty over Morocco’s readiness had been growing in recent weeks.
Reports suggested concerns over logistics and organisation, particularly following chaotic scenes during the men’s Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year.
In that match, Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in a tense final at the Stade Moulay Abdellah.
Despite those concerns, CAF had moved ahead with tournament preparations and even conducted the group stage draw in January. However, the full match schedule had not been released before the postponement announcement.
CAF has not yet confirmed new dates for the tournament or whether Morocco will remain the host nation.
South Africa offers to step in
Amid the uncertainty, South Africa has signalled its readiness to host the tournament if required, SABC Sport reports.
The country’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said South Africa has the facilities and infrastructure needed to stage the event on short notice.
According to McKenzie, South Africa’s stadiums, transport systems, and organisational structure would allow it to host the competition without delay.
He also criticised how women’s football competitions are sometimes handled on the continent, arguing that such confusion would be unlikely if the event involved men’s teams.
WAFCON 2026 suffers major setback
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) have officially written to CAF for the postponement of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The FRMF notified the African football governing body of their inability to host the continental tournament due to the overloading of the domestic football calendar.
Source: Legit.ng
