The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, pushing the tournament from its original March slot to a new window between July and August.
CAF confirmed the decision on Thursday, ending weeks of speculation over the fate of the competition.
The tournament will now take place from July 25 to August 16 in Morocco, after discussions between CAF, FIFA and other stakeholders involved in staging the event.
It had initially been scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3.
CAF said the adjustment was necessary to guarantee the proper organisation of Africa’s flagship women’s football tournament.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 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 organisation said.
The governing body added that preparations were ongoing and expressed confidence that the tournament would meet expectations.
“Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” the statement added.
Morocco was awarded hosting rights in October 2024, but concerns had been building in recent weeks over the readiness of several key aspects of the tournament.
Important logistical details were still outstanding before the original kickoff date. Venues for the knockout stages had yet to be confirmed, while accreditation arrangements for journalists, match officials, and technical workshops were also pending. Promotional activity around the tournament had been limited.
