CAF Expands Women’s Africa Cup Of Nations To 16 Teams

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will expand from 12 to 16 teams starting with the 2026 edition.

The decision marks another step in the growth of women’s football on the continent. Next year’s finals in Morocco will still feature 12 teams, with qualifiers already in the final round.

However, the new format will likely require an additional stage of preliminaries, where 11 nations are expected to battle for four extra slots. Final details are set to be released after CAF’s executive committee meeting in Kinshasa.

Since its inception in 1998, Wafcon featured just eight teams until the 2018 edition in Ghana. The tournament was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but returned in 2022 with 12 teams, signalling a new era of growth.

CAF has also increased its investment in the women’s game, with prize money rising by 45% in the most recent tournament held in Morocco. The overall pot reached $3.45 million, with Nigeria, crowned champions for a record-extending 10th time, receiving $1 million.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe praised the progress so far. “I am pleased with the progress we’ve made in women’s African,” he said. “Part of my starting point is footballmaking sure [men and women] are paid well and they can make a career out of football. I can assure you women’s football will continue to improve because that is an area we are focusing on a lot.”