Essential information to be aware of as Morocco hosts the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is set to commence in Morocco on Sunday, featuring 16 teams vying for continental supremacy and a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with Algeria facing Senegal in the opening match at the Rabat Olympic Stadium, followed by hosts Morocco taking on Kenya later in the day.

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Algeria and Senegal will make their WAFCON head-to-head debut, marking the first time the two teams have met in the tournament's history, despite their men's teams having a long-standing rivalry, including the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final won 1-0 by Algeria.

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The tournament also serves as Africa’s qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists automatically qualifying for the World Cup, while the four losing quarter-finalists will compete for two intercontinental play-off spots.

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Defending champions Nigeria will begin their title defence on Tuesday, opening their Group C campaign against Malawi, as they chase a record-extending 11th WAFCON title, grouped with Zambia, Egypt, and tournament debutants Malawi.

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The expanded 16-team tournament features four groups of four teams: Group A comprises Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya, while Group B includes South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania, and Group C consists of Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi, with Group D made up of Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, and Cape Verde.

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The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, with the tournament being hosted by Morocco for the third consecutive time, and matches will be played across five stadiums in Rabat and Casablanca, with the final scheduled for August 16.

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Nigeria begins the tournament as defending champions and Africa’s highest-ranked women’s team, seeking an 11th continental crown after defeating hosts Morocco in last year’s final, with other leading contenders including hosts Morocco, 2022 champions South Africa, and Zambia, led by BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2024, Barbra Banda.

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The full WAFCON 2026 fixture list includes a series of matches, starting with the group stage on Sunday, July 26, featuring Algeria vs Senegal and Morocco vs Kenya, followed by subsequent matches on July 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and August 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

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The quarter-finals are scheduled for August 8 and 9, with the 2027 Women’s World Cup play-offs taking place on August 13, the semi-finals on August 12, the third-place match on August 15, and the final on August 16 at 7:00pm GMT in Rabat.

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The 34-match tournament will conclude on Sunday, August 16, when Africa’s new champions will be crowned and four teams will have secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.