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The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations remains one of the biggest competitions in African women’s football.
The CAF has officially moved the WAFCON 2026 tournament to the summer calendar. The competition, initially planned for March in Morocco, will now take place from July 25 to August 16, 2026.
CAF confirms new dates for WAFCON 2026
The Confederation of African Football announced on March 5 that the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 will be played later than originally planned.
The tournament was initially scheduled between March 17 and April 3. It will now run from July 25 to August 16, shortly after the FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in the United States.
According to CAF, the decision followed consultations with FIFA and other stakeholders in order to ensure optimal conditions for the competition and avoid scheduling conflicts.
The new summer window is expected to provide greater visibility for women’s football across the continent.
Host country still not officially confirmed
While the dates are now confirmed, CAF did not explicitly state whether Morocco will remain the host country.
In October 2024, Morocco had been officially awarded the organization of the 2026 edition. However, the latest CAF statement simply noted that preparations are ongoing and that all parties remain confident about the tournament’s success.
This absence of confirmation has raised questions within the African football community.
Morocco faces a busy football calendar
The uncertainty comes as Morocco already faces an intense football schedule. The country hosted the AFCON 2025 tournament between December 2025 and January 2026.
Organizing another continental tournament only months later could create logistical challenges while stadium renovations continue ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the 2030 tournament, which has already accelerated infrastructure projects across several Moroccan cities.
Some observers suggest that CAF could consider alternative hosts such as South Africa or Nigeria in order to balance the rotation of major tournaments across the continent.
For now, CAF has not confirmed any change of host nation, leaving the final decision open as preparations continue.
