The WAFCON 2026 group stage draw saw North African rivals Morocco and Algeria paired together as reigning champions Nigeria are set to renew rivalries with Zambia.

This afternoon the stage was set to for the Women’s African Cup of Nations as the draw itself was completed. This WAFCON competition is especially important as the competition that will determine which nations from CAF will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Only the teams that make the semi final of the competition will qualify automatically for the World Cup. Defeat in the quarter finals will see each team face each other for CAFs two spots in the Inter-Continental play offs.

The competition will be the first to feature 16 teams having previously been a 12 team competition in the 2024 and 2022 editions. That decision means that sides will now have to finish in the top two of their group to qualify for the knockout round.

Controversially as the expansion was decided late by CAF, four sides that were eliminated from qualifying still found a spot in the draw. These were the four highest ranked sides via the FIFA World Rankings that failed to qualify. The competition will also feature two debutants in Cape Verde and Malawi.

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How the draw shaped up

The CAF Women’s Competitions manager Heba Sarwat hosted the draw. She was aided by Kenya head coach Beldine Odemba to conduct the draw alongside legendary Moroccan goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. 

As for the results of the draw, hosts Morocco will once again face Senegal in the group stage after facing them nine months ago. Rivals Algeria have also been drawn into a competitive group A, which is rounded out by Kenya returning for just the second time to WAFCON after a 10 year absence.

Group B saw South Africa drawn in with Tanzania who held the 2022 champions to a draw in 2024 group stages. Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso complete the group. Ivory Coast return for the first time since coming third in 2014 while Burkina Faso are back after a group stage exit in 2022.

Reigning champions Nigeria headline Group C with the top of Group C avoiding the top of Group A until the final, should both make it. The Super Falcons are joined by Egypt and debutants Malawi. Malawi’s closest neighbours Zambia join them in the group with Banda facing Chawinga a mouth watering prospect. Zambia will have the chance to avenge that humiliating defeat to Nigeria in the quarter finals last summer in the group stage this time.

The Black Queens will be delighted with their draw, they came into the competition as a top seed due to their third placed finish in the 2024 edition. Ghana are joined by two sides that failed to qualify in Cameroon and Mali as well as debutants Cape Verde. WAFCON 2026 kicks off in March 2026 with a huge amount on the line in the continent’s showpiece women’s football event.

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WAFCON 2026 group stage draw