Morocco Ready to Host 2026 WAFCON After CAF Strips Senegal of AFCON Title
- Morocco has reaffirmed its readiness to host the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations despite recent controversy
- This decision comes after CAF handed Morocco the 2025 AFCON title after stripping Senegal of the title
- The 2026 WAFCON was rescheduled to July–August 2026, with Morocco retaining hosting rights
Morocco have moved quickly to steady the narrative following the storm surrounding the men’s Africa Cup of Nations final, turning attention to their next major responsibility, hosting the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, (WAFCON).
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has expressed confidence that preparations for the tournament remain firmly on track, despite the lingering fallout from the controversial decision that saw Morocco awarded the 2025 AFCON title.
Source: Twitter
In an official statement, the federation made it clear that its priority is now future competitions, particularly WAFCON and the upcoming global calendar.
Morocco is set to host the women’s tournament for the third consecutive time, a sign of CAF’s continued trust in the country’s infrastructure and organisational capacity.
A part of the FMRF statement on X (formerly Twitter) reads:
“The FRMF will continue to advocate with continental and international bodies for the fair application of the rules governing the competitions it participates in. It now intends to turn its attention towards upcoming sporting events, in particular the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the Women’s AFCON this summer."
For Moroccan football authorities, this is a chance to shift focus from controversy to delivery, ensuring that the women’s tournament runs smoothly and reinforces the country’s growing reputation as a reliable host on the African stage.
Morocco in the spotlight after AFCON ruling
The backdrop to Morocco’s preparations remains the dramatic ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which overturned Senegal’s 1-0 victory in the 2025 AFCON final.
Source: Twitter
Senegal had initially won the match after extra time, but the game was marred by a 17-minute walk-off protest following a stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.
CAF’s Appeals Committee later ruled that Senegal’s actions breached competition regulations, specifically the rule that prohibits teams from leaving the pitch without official approval.
As a result, the match was recorded as a 3-0 win in favour of Morocco, handing them a historic title decades in the making.
The decision has not gone unchallenged. Senegal have already confirmed plans to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, keeping the controversy alive even as Morocco attempts to move forward.
Still, the Moroccan federation has maintained that its appeal was based on ensuring that competition rules were applied correctly, not on disputing Senegal’s performance on the pitch.
WAFCON get new timeline
Amid the tension, CAF has also confirmed a new timeline for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Originally scheduled for March, the tournament has been pushed back to run from July 25 to August 16, giving organisers more time to fine-tune preparations, BBC Sport reports.
The governing body cited unforeseen circumstances as the reason for the adjustment, while also emphasising the need to protect the competition’s commercial and sporting value.
The tournament will also carry added significance, serving as part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
This raises the stakes for participating teams and places additional focus on Morocco’s ability to deliver a world-class event.
Despite earlier speculation about a possible change of host, CAF has reaffirmed Morocco’s position, putting to rest doubts fueled by the chaotic scenes during the AFCON final.
Morocco accepts controversial CAF ruling
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) has issued a statement following the decision of the CAF Appeal Board to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
The FMRF said the national team is committed to maintaining its position and application of the competition governing rules.
Source: Legit.ng
