All Teams Qualified for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

In Summary

• Twelve nations, including hosts Morocco, have qualified for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after an exciting qualification round.
  
  
• Powerhouses like Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Zambia lead the lineup, joined by debutants Malawi and Cape Verde.
  
  
• CAF confirmed a 45% prize money increase, doubling the winner’s reward to USD 1 million, marking a new milestone for women’s football in Africa.

Deep Dive!!

Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, October 30th— The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON qualification process came to an end on Tuesday, October 28, when twelve nations, including the hosts Morocco, confirmed their spots at the biennial event.

On April 17, 2024, Morocco was officially announced as the host, therefore earning them a spot in the competition.

The 2026 edition is the 14th Women's Africa Cup of Nations in its full-scale format, having started in 1998. The current WAFCON structure was established in 1998 under CAF administration, while earlier iterations in 1991 and 1995 served as home-and-away qualifying events for the FIFA Women's World Cup.

There were discussions about a possible expansion of the competition, but in the end, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) opted to stick with the 12-team format for 2026. However, there is a significant development in the upcoming tournament as CAF announced on July 3, 2025, that the prize money will be increased by 45% to USD 3,475,000, while the winner's award has been doubled to USD 1,000,000.

In this article, we will take a look at all twelve teams that qualified for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

READ ALSO: African Countries Qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Full List of Qualified Teams for WAFCON 2026

Below is the full lineup of the 12 qualified teams, including qualification dates and previous appearances:

1. Morocco (Host; Qualified: April 17, 2024; Appearances: 4) - The Atlas Lionesses seek to improve on their 2024 runner-up finish.
2. Zambia (Qualified: October 26, 2025; Appearances: 4) - Famous for dynamic attacks, featuring Barbra Banda.
3. Tanzania (Qualified: October 28, 2025; Appearances: 2) - The Twiga Stars make a comeback with solid form.
4. Malawi (Debut; Qualified: October 2025) - Newcomers adding fresh excitement.
5. Algeria (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 5) - The Fennecs stunned Cameroon in the qualifiers.
6. Nigeria (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 13) - Record 10-time champions, always contenders.
7. Ghana (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 11) - The Black Queens impressed with a 7-0 aggregate victory.
8. Burkina Faso (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 1) - Resilient returnees after a long break.
9. Kenya (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 1) - Harambee Starlets narrowly beat Gambia.
10. South Africa (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 13) - 2022 champions aiming for redemption after 2024.
11. Cape Verde (Debut; Qualified: October 2025) - Historic first qualification for the island nation.
12. Senegal (Qualified: October 2025; Appearances: 3) - The Lionesses prevailed on penalties against the Ivory Coast.

Team Profiles: Favourites and Rising Stars

1. Nigeria

Nigeria's Super Falcons have won a record ten trophies in thirteen editions from 1998, most recently defeating Morocco 3-2 in the 2024 final. They qualified for the 2026 WAFCON with a 3-1 aggregate score over Benin. Their success is driven by stars such as Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade. Nigeria's history makes them consistent favourites for an eleventh title, having competed in every edition.

2. South Africa

In 2022, Banyana Banyana won their first championship, but they were defeated in 2024. They defeated DR Congo 2-1 to qualify for the 2026 WAFCON. The team is anchored by important individuals like Refiloe Jane and Thembi Kgatlana. South Africa has made 13 appearances, combining youth and experience for a possible comeback.

3. Morocco

Morocco, the hosts of the 2026 WAFCON, advanced to the finals in 2022 and 2024 before losing to South Africa and Nigeria, respectively. Key players include Ghizlane Chebbak and Rosella Ayane. Home support could help them win their first championship under coach Reynald Pedros.

4. Zambia

In the qualifications, the Copper Queens defeated Namibia 7-2.  Barbra Banda seems unstoppable in front of the goal and could lead her team all the way.

5. Ghana

Egypt was defeated 7-0 on aggregate by the Black Queens in the qualifiers. After three final appearances, Ghana hopes to win its first championship by combining young talent with seasoned players like Princella Adube.

6. Algeria

Algeria makes their fifth appearance after defeating Cameroon 3-1. Their menace is indicated by Ghoutia Karchouni's contributions.

The Qualification Process: How Teams Secured Their Places

Fifty-two CAF national women's teams were eligible for qualification, as Morocco had already qualified as hosts, but only 38 teams enrolled. The top six teams in the FIFA Women's World Ranking were given a bye to the second round, while the following 16 highest-ranked teams were seeded in the first round and played the second leg at home.

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