The Confederation of African Football(CAF) has announced new dates for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, moving the tournament from its original March 17 to April 3 schedule to a new window of July 25 to August 16, 2026.

The competition will still be hosted by Morocco, which was awarded the hosting rights in October 2024.

The announcement came just 12 days before the tournament was initially scheduled to begin. CAF stated that the rescheduling followed discussions with partners including FIFA and other stakeholders to ensure proper organization and the long-term success of the continental women’s football championship.

In its official statement, CAF confirmed that preparations for the tournament are already underway.

After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA, and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026 to July 25 – August 16, 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition in light of certain unforeseen circumstances, the federation said on its official website on Thursday.

The postponement provides additional preparation time for participating teams, including Nigeria Women's National Football Team, who are the defending champions.

The Super Falcons secured their 10th WAFCON title in 2025 after defeating hosts Morocco in a dramatic final comeback victory. 

The 2026 WAFCON will also serve as qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with four teams securing automatic qualification places. 

Wale Adejumo