Rabat will host a landmark double event for African women’s football on Thursday, January 15.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will organize the final draw of the
TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026, while also revealing
the winners of the CAF Awards 2025 in the women’s categories on the same day.
A Historic Draw for the Women’s AFCON
Scheduled for 2:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT, 3:00 p.m. Cairo time), the draw will mark
a historic milestone for the competition. For the first time ever, the Women’s AFCON will feature
16 teams in the final phase, up from 12 in previous editions, highlighting the rapid growth and
professionalization of women’s football across Africa.
As host nation, Morocco will be joined by fifteen qualified teams: Algeria, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal,
South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
The expanded field brings together established powerhouses and rising nations, promising a
highly competitive tournament that reflects the evolving landscape of African women’s football.
CAF Women’s Awards at the Heart of the Day
Earlier the same day, CAF will also announce the winners of three major categories of the
CAF Awards 2025 – Women’s Categories:
- Women’s Coach of the Year
- Women’s Interclub Player of the Year
- Women’s Club of the Year
Originally scheduled to be presented during the main CAF Awards ceremony, these distinctions
were postponed due to the ongoing women’s club season, particularly the CAF Women’s Champions League.
CAF officially reopened the voting process earlier this week.
A Structured and Transparent Voting Process
CAF oversees and coordinates the voting process without participating directly. Different voting
panels are involved depending on the category:
- Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Media representatives, team captains and
coaches participating in the CAF Women’s Champions League - Women’s Coach of the Year: Media representatives and coaches from CAF member associations
- Women’s Club of the Year: Media representatives and CAF Women’s Technical Committee
A Key Date for African Women’s Football
January 15 is shaping up to be a defining moment for African women’s football. Beyond setting the
sporting framework of the Women’s AFCON Morocco 2026, the day will also celebrate the players,
coaches and clubs that left their mark on the continent over the past year.
With Rabat once again at the center of continental football, Morocco continues to affirm its
commitment to the development and global visibility of women’s football in Africa.
