The road to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 officially begins this month with the start of the qualifying rounds.
Africa’s top women’s football teams are vying for a coveted spot in the 16th edition of the tournament, promising a thrilling series of matches.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the details of the qualifying stages, setting the stage for a continent-wide battle for supremacy.
The first round of qualifiers will be held from February 17th to 26th, 2025, followed by the second round from October 20th to 28th, 2025.
The first round features a series of exciting matchups, with teams facing off in home and away legs.
Highlights include Angola vs. Zimbabwe, Botswana vs. DR Congo, Tanzania vs. Equatorial Guinea, and a highly anticipated clash between Uganda and Ethiopia.
Malawi has already advanced to the next round following the withdrawal of Congo.
Other notable fixtures include Kenya vs. Tunisia, Benin vs. Sierra Leone, and Chad vs. Senegal.
The winners of these first-round ties will then progress to the second round, where they will face further challenges.
The second round pits these emerging teams against some of the continent’s established powerhouses. For instance, the winner of Angola vs. Zimbabwe will face Malawi, while the winner of Botswana vs. DR Congo will play against South Africa.
The Uganda/Ethiopia winner will take on the winner of Tanzania vs. Equatorial Guinea.
Other exciting second-round matchups include clashes against Zambia, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast.
While the qualifying rounds promise high-stakes action, fans eagerly await further details about the final tournament. CAF has yet to announce the dates and host nation for the final phase of the competition, as well as the selected stadiums.
The format for the final tournament will consist of three groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals, followed by a knockout stage leading to the final.
The WAFCON has a rich history, with Nigeria dominating the competition, having won ten of the previous fifteen editions.
Equatorial Guinea has claimed two titles, while South Africa are the current champions, having won the 2022 edition in Morocco. The 2020 tournament was unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
