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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a new schedule for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, shifting the tournament from its earlier planned dates in March to a later period in the year.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the continental football governing body confirmed that the competition will now be held from July 25 to August 16, 2026, in Morocco. The event was previously scheduled to take place between March 17 and April 3, 2026.
CAF explained that the adjustment was made after consultations with several partners involved in organising the tournament, including the world football governing body, FIFA.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 to 25 July – 16 August 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” the organisation said.
The body also noted that preparations for the tournament are continuing and expressed confidence that the competition will still meet expectations.
“Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” the statement added.
The announcement effectively ends weeks of uncertainty surrounding the tournament’s schedule. Morocco was awarded the hosting rights in October 2024, but recent reports suggested that certain organisational arrangements were yet to be finalised ahead of the initially planned kickoff date.
Among the concerns raised were issues relating to the allocation of venues for the knockout stages, accreditation processes for media personnel and officials, as well as technical workshops connected to the competition. Observers also pointed out that promotional campaigns tied to the tournament had not gathered significant momentum as the earlier March date approached.
By moving the competition to mid-year, CAF appears to have created additional time for organisers and stakeholders to finalise key arrangements and ensure the event is delivered successfully.
For Nigeria’s women’s national team, the Nigeria women’s national football team—popularly known as the Super Falcons—the revised schedule may offer extra preparation time as they aim to retain their continental dominance.
The team recently faced the Cameroon women’s national football team in a two-match friendly series in Yaoundé. Nigeria lost the first encounter 1–0 but responded strongly in the second game, securing a 3–1 victory.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is also expected to play a significant role in shaping Africa’s representation at the next global women’s football showpiece. The tournament will act as part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Brazil.
Under the current qualification structure, the four teams that reach the semi-final stage of the continental competition will automatically secure places at the global tournament. Another African side will have the opportunity to qualify through an intercontinental play-off.
With the new timeline now confirmed, participating nations can begin adjusting their preparation plans ahead of the tournament in Morocco, which is expected to attract some of the best women’s football talent from across the continent.
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