Nigeria Super Falcons Face Zambia, Egypt in Tough WAFCON 2026 Group Draw

The draw for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was conducted Thursday in Rabat, Morocco, setting the stage for the 16-team continental championship.

The defending champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons, were placed in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt, and tournament debutants Malawi. This pairing renews a recent rivalry, as Nigeria defeated Zambia 5-0 during their title-winning campaign last July, which culminated in a record-extending 10th championship victory over hosts Morocco.

Host nation Morocco, which is staging the tournament for the third consecutive time, leads Group A and will face Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya. Group B features the 2022 champions, South Africa, alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania. Group D consists of Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, and first-time qualifiers Cape Verde.

Notably, the tournament has been expanded from 12 to 16 teams. This format change, implemented during the qualification phase, allowed nations like Egypt to advance to the finals. The expanded lineup will feature more matches condensed into a shorter schedule, with the event running from March 17 to April 3, 2026.

The tournament holds significant stakes, with the four semi-finalists securing direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four losing quarter-finalists will enter a play-off for two additional spots in an inter-confederation qualifier.

Ahead of the draw, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe reaffirmed commitments to increase prize money for the women’s tournament and improve player salaries across the continent. For context, Nigeria earned $1 million for their 2024 title win, while the men’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions will receive $10 million.

The ceremony also included the presentation of several 2025 women’s football awards, with AS FAR named Club of the Year, Lamia Boumehdi of TP Mazembe awarded Coach of the Year, and AS FAR’s Sanaa Mssoudy crowned Interclub Player of the Year.

Matches will be played across four venues in the cities of Rabat, Casablanca, and Fez.