The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) tournament, set to take place in Morocco from July 26 to August 16, will see Kenya and 15 other teams vie for a total prize fund of $3,475,000, which translates to approximately Sh449.8 million. This significant prize money reflects an increased investment in women’s football across Africa.
The tournament will be hosted in the Moroccan cities of Rabat and Casablanca, utilising four stadiums: Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Olympic Stadium, Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, and Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca. This marks Morocco as the first nation to host three successive editions of the competition.
Tournament Structure and Teams
The 16-team event has expanded from its initial four-team format in 1991. Kenya is placed in Group ‘A’ alongside Morocco, Algeria, and Senegal. Group ‘B’ features South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania, while Group ‘C’ includes defending champions Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi. Group ‘D’ comprises Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, and Cape Verde.
The tournament also serves as Africa’s qualifying event for the Fifa Women’s World Cup. The four semi-finalists will automatically qualify, with two additional teams progressing to the Fifa Inter-Confederation Play-Offs.
Increased Prize Fund and Historical Context
The prize money for Wafcon has seen a substantial increase, aligning with the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s Women’s Football Action Plan. This year, CAF raised the total prize pool by 45 percent compared to the 2022 figure. The champions will receive USD 1 million (approximately Sh129 million), while the runners-up will earn USD 500,000 (approximately Sh64.5 million).
In 2018, the total prize fund was $975,000 (approximately Sh125.8 million), with the champions receiving about $300,000 (approximately Sh38.7 million). By 2022, CAF doubled the winners’ prize money to $1 million, and the overall tournament prize fund also increased to $3.475 million.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has stated that these increased financial rewards are intended to improve the salaries of women footballers, coaches, and other personnel involved in the sport. He also expressed confidence that the tournament would attract more fans, television audiences, and commercial partners.
Historically, Nigeria has been the most successful team, winning nine titles, including victories in 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2025. Equatorial Guinea has won the title twice, in 2008 and 2012, while South Africa secured a win in 2022.
Ticket Sales and Tournament Evolution
Ticket sales for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 officially commenced on Wednesday, July 22, in partnership with Visa. An exclusive pre-sale period for Visa cardholders began on July 22 and concluded on Thursday, July 23, offering early access to tickets for the group stage matches.
The competition, which was rebranded from the African Women’s Championship to Wafcon in 2015 to align with the men’s Afcon, has undergone several transformations. The inaugural 1991 edition was played on a home-and-away knockout basis without a designated host. The format evolved, and in 1998, CAF introduced a hosted finals format.
The 2020 edition, initially planned as a 12-team format, was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Subsequently, CAF launched the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2021. Morocco hosted the expanded 12-team tournament in 2022, which saw South Africa defeat the hosts 2-1 in the final to claim their first continental title. The upcoming tournament in 2026 will feature 16 teams, with Morocco automatically qualifying as hosts.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will run until August 16.
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Source: nation.africa
