By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has expanded the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, a move that will reinstate four traditional powerhouses, including the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, for the upcoming 2026 tournament.
CAF announced in a communique that its Executive Committee approved the enlargement of the WAFCON, starting with the next edition in 2026.
This decision effectively grants a reprieve to several prominent teams that had missed out on qualification under the previous 12-team structure.
To ensure fairness following the conclusion of the initial qualification process, CAF stated it would select the “four best-ranked teams according to the current FIFA Women’s World Ranking, among those eliminated in the final qualifying round,” to complete the 16-team field.
Consequently, Cameroon (ranked 66th globally), Côte d’Ivoire (71st), Mali (79th), and Egypt (95th) have been reinstated. They will join the 12 teams that secured qualification on the pitch, including holders Nigeria and former champions South Africa.
The expansion is a significant development for Cameroon, which was eliminated by Algeria on a 3-1 aggregate and faced what would have been their second consecutive absence from the WAFCON.
This unexpected turn provides a crucial opportunity for the Lionesses, whose new mission will be to reach the semi-finals in March 2026 to secure one of the African spots for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Côte d’Ivoire narrowly lost to Burkina Faso, while Mali and Egypt were edged out by Equatorial Guinea and Senegal, respectively.
CAF stressed that the expansion reflects its commitment to strengthening women’s football and promoting inclusivity across Africa. The new 16-team format is intended to enhance competition and create broader opportunities for emerging nations, said CAF.
The teams that qualified last week, before the expansion announcement, include Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. Morocco will participate as hosts.
The WAFCON holds added importance as it serves as the African qualifiers for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with the top four finishers heading to Brazil. This will be the third Women’s Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco.
Morocco is also set to host the 24-team men’s Africa Cup of Nations finals from Dec. 22 to Jan. 18.
16 TEAMS FOR WAFCON 2026:
Qualified: Morocco (Host); Zambia; Tanzania; Malawi; Algeria; Nigeria; Ghana; Burkina Faso; Kenya; South Africa; Cape Verde and Senegal.
Reinstated: Cameroon; Côte d’Ivoire; Mali and Egypt.
