Why Egypt women have seven stars on their badge despite never winning WAFCON

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Egypt’s women’s national football team has attracted attention at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for wearing seven stars above its badge despite never winning the continental tournament.

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The sight of the stars has left many fans wondering whether the Pharaohs’ women have a hidden trophy haul. However, the explanation lies with the success of Egypt’s men’s national team.

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Rather than representing titles won by the women’s side, the seven stars honour the men’s record seven Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumphs, the most by any nation in the history of the competition.

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Egypt won the AFCON titles in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010, establishing themselves as Africa’s most successful men’s national team.

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The women’s team, meanwhile, is still chasing its first major continental success. Egypt have yet to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and have never reached the latter stages of the competition.

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Unlike some national teams that use stars to represent achievements by the specific team wearing the badge, the Egyptian Football Association has chosen to display the stars as a symbol of the country’s overall footballing success, reflecting the achievements of the men’s national side across all national teams.

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The badge has become a talking point during WAFCON, with many supporters initially assuming the stars represented titles won by the women’s team before discovering they commemorate Egypt’s men’s AFCON dominance.

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