2026 Women’s AFCON Race: Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Mali in good stead for Morocco 2026
Cup holders and 10-time champions Nigeria lead a cast of heavyweights who have put themselves in good positions to advance to next year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations finals; the 14th edition to be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco.
Hosts Morocco, losing finalists in the past two editions that they hosted (lost to South Africa in 2022 and to Nigeria this summer), have qualified automatically as hosts of the championship to be staged 17th March – 3rd April.
While the Super Falcons were underscoring their superiority over African opposition by defeating the Amazons of Bénin Republic 2-0 in Lome on Friday, Zambia (stunned with five goals by Nigeria in this summer’s captivating feast in Morocco), won their away tie 4-2 to Namibia in Windhoek. They have a simple job to do in the return leg in Ndola on Tuesday.
Ghana’s Black Queens trashed hosts Egypt 3-0, with the return leg set for Accra on Tuesday, while Mali’s senior girls got the better of Cape Verde 1-0 away in Praia.
Angola and Malawi ended their first leg in Luanda scoreless, same as Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire in Dakar, while hosts Kenya saw off The Gambia 3-1 in Nairobi and Algeria edged Cameroon 2-1.
Burkina Faso and Tanzania have decent 2-0 leads on Togo and Ethiopia respectively going for their return legs on away ground, while South Africa’s Banyana Banyana forced the Democratic Republic of Congo to a 1-1 draw away from home.
Ethiopia hosts Tanzania in Addis Ababa on Sunday, while all 10 other return-leg encounters take place on Tuesday.
Nigeria host Bénin’s Amazons at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, from 4pm, with a two-goal cushion from the first leg courtesy Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo.
The Confederation of African Football has selected Dominique Rosa Hanjavola from Madagascar as referee for Tuesday’s clash between the Super Falcons and the Amazons, with Zimbabwean official Claris Simango as assistant referee 1. Hasimbola Rasoloniaina from Madagascar will work as assistant referee 2 while Grace Gimo from Zimbabwe will be in the role of fourth official.
Christine Ziga from Ghana will serve as commissioner while Ndeye Fatou Seye from Senegal will be the referee assessor.
2026 WAFCON Final Qualifying Fixtures: First Leg Results
Bénin Republic 0-2 Nigeria
Angola 0-0 Malawi
DR Congo 1-1 South Africa
Tanzania 2-0 Ethiopia
Namibia 2-4 Zambia
Burkina Faso 2-0 Togo
Algeria 2-1 Cameroon
Egypt 0-3 Ghana
Kenya 3-1 Gambia
Cape Verde 0-1 Mali
Senegal 0-0 Cote d’Ivoire
