2026 Women’s AFCON: Morocco forces the African Football Confederation (CAF) to back down

The pan-African body has officially announced this change of schedule in a press release published on March 5. While the tournament remains awarded to the Kingdom, the dates have been adjusted after discussions with FIFA and the stakeholders to ensure the success of the event.

CAF justifies this decision by "unforeseen circumstances". "CAF has decided to reschedule the dates [...] to ensure the success of this important women’s competition," the organization said, stressing the desire to provide the best possible conditions for the participating nations.

This 2026 edition will mark a historic turning point with the expansion from 12 to 16 national teams. Beyond the continental title, the tournament will also serve as a qualifying phase for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, whose final phase is scheduled to take place in Brazil.

Among the qualified nations are Morocco, the host country, Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon and Algeria. Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana complete this high-level lineup that will compete for three weeks on Moroccan soil.