The race to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is heating up, with defending champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons leading a parade of African football heavyweights who have placed themselves in strong positions to qualify for next year’s finals.
The 14th edition of the continental women’s tournament will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2026.
As hosts, Morocco have already secured automatic qualification. The Atlas Lionesses, who were finalists in the last two editions will be hoping to go one step further this time after finishing runners-up to South Africa in 2022 and to Nigeria this summer.
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Super Falcons Total Dominance in Lome
Nigeria’s Super Falcons, 10-time African champions, took a crucial first-leg advantage with a 2–0 win over the Amazons of Bénin Republic at the Stade de Kégué, Lomé.
Goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo handed the reigning champions a comfortable cushion heading into the return leg in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, Deborah Abiodun, and Christy Ucheibe who commanded the midfield, while Chiamaka Nnadozie made key saves to keep a clean sheet.
The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday, 4 p.m. at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta.
A strong performance in Abeokuta will confirm the Super Falcons place among Africa’s elite at next year’s finals, where the top four semi-finalists will also earn automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Dominique Rosa Hanjavola (Madagascar) as referee for the return fixture, with Claris Simango (Zimbabwe) and Hasimbola Rasoloniaina (Madagascar) serving as assistants.
Grace Gimo (Zimbabwe) will be the fourth official. Christine Ziga (Ghana) will act as match commissioner, while Ndeye Fatou Seye (Senegal) is the referee assessor.
Zambia, Ghana, and Mali Impress Away from Home
Elsewhere, Zambia’s Copper Queens, who were humbled 0–5 by Nigeria during this summer’s WAFCON in Morocco, bounced back strongly with a 4–2 away victory over Namibia in Windhoek.
The Zambians will return to Ndola on Tuesday confident of finishing the job in front of their fans.
Ghana as also in ruthless form, defeating Egypt 3–0 in Cairo, setting up a straightforward task in the return leg in Accra.
Ghana’s resurgence under coach Nora Häuptle is a huge advantage as the Black Queens chase their first WAFCON title since 1998.
In Praia, Mali’s Les Aiglonnes earned a valuable 1–0 away win over Cape Verde, while Burkina Faso and Tanzania both secured 2–0 first-leg leads over Togo and Ethiopia respectively.
Banyana Hold Firm in Kinshasa
In Kinshasa, South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, the 2022 champions, earned a 1–1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo, a result that leaves them well-placed ahead of the second leg at home.
The match was a physical contest, but the experience of coach Desiree Ellis’s side ensured they avoided defeat away from home.
Algeria edged Cameroon 2–1 in Algiers in one of the most competitive fixtures of the round, while Kenya defeated The Gambia 3–1 in Nairobi to take a lead.
Angola and Malawi played out a 0–0 draw in Luanda, just as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire shared the spoils in Dakar.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia will host Tanzania in Addis Ababa on Sunday, aiming to overturn their 0–2 first-leg deficit.
Read More: “We’re Not Afraid of Nigeria” – Benin Declares Ahead of Super Falcons Clash
2026 WAFCON Qualifiers First Leg Results at a Glance
| Fixture | Result |
|---|---|
| Bénin Republic vs Nigeria | 0–2 |
| Angola vs Malawi | 0–0 |
| DR Congo vs South Africa | 1–1 |
| Tanzania vs Ethiopia | 2–0 |
| Namibia vs Zambia | 2–4 |
| Burkina Faso vs Togo | 2–0 |
| Algeria vs Cameroon | 2–1 |
| Egypt vs Ghana | 0–3 |
| Kenya vs Gambia | 3–1 |
| Cape Verde vs Mali | 0–1 |
| Senegal vs Côte d’Ivoire | 0–0 |
