WAFCON 2026 Kicks Off in Morocco . And the Hosts Aren’t Playing Around
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations returned to Morocco this weekend for a third straight edition, and the tournament wasted no time delivering fireworks. Hosts Morocco thrashed Kenya 4-0 in their Group A opener, with star striker Ibtissam Jraïdi bagging a brace to send the Atlas Lionesses top of the group. Algeria also made a statement, beating Senegal 2-0 in the tournament’s very first match — a historic meeting, since the two nations’ women’s teams had never faced off at a WAFCON before.
This year’s edition is bigger than ever: 16 teams, up from 12, competing across five stadiums in Rabat and Casablanca through August 16. Ten-time champions Nigeria, chasing a record 11th title, open their defence against debutants Malawi, while South Africa — the only other African nation besides Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea to ever lift the trophy — face a tough Group B alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.
Beyond continental bragging rights, there’s real stakes here: the top four semi-finalists qualify automatically for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. With Morocco desperate to finally win on home soil after back-to-back final defeats, expect this tournament to stay must-watch for the next three weeks.
