The Confederation of African Football has postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, pushing the tournament from its original March window to mid year.
In a statement released on Thursday, Confederation of African Football confirmed that the competition will now be played from July 25 to August 16, 2026. The tournament had initially been scheduled for March 17 to April 3, 2026 in Morocco.
The decision ends weeks of uncertainty that followed limited communication from CAF and the host nation after last year’s group stage draw. Several federations had raised concerns privately as preparations intensified without clear direction on logistics and timelines.
On Wednesday, CAF Head of TV and Communication Luxolo September indicated via his social media platforms that an official update would be issued within 48 hours. The governing body followed through a day later, confirming the new dates after what it described as consultations with partners, including FIFA, and other stakeholders.
CAF said preparations remain ongoing and expressed confidence that the tournament will be successfully delivered despite the change in schedule.
Sixteen teams had already secured qualification and had begun structured preparations, with some expected to travel to Morocco ahead of the original March kick off. The revised calendar now gives participating nations an extended build up period but may also require adjustments to domestic and international schedules.
CAF’s statement did not clearly confirm whether Morocco will retain hosting rights or whether another country could be appointed, leaving one key question unresolved even as new dates have been set.
