Africa-Press – Lesotho. The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has confirmed that Morocco will host the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), putting to rest speculation about a possible change of venue.
Reports had suggested that Morocco was considering withdrawing from staging the tournament, with defending champions South Africa reportedly on standby to step in.
However, speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Friday, Motsepe firmly dismissed any uncertainty, assuring that Morocco remains committed to hosting the biennial competition.
Motsepe revealed that although several countries have shown strong interest in hosting the tournament, CAF is maintaining its engagement with Morocco and will not alter the scheduled dates of the championship.
“There are discussions taking place. There are a lot of competitions.
“Morocco came to assist because there were many countries that wanted to host, but because we didn’t have time and our standards were very high, there are still many countries interested,” Motsepe said.
He further stressed that some of the interested nations requested adjustments to the tournament calendar, but CAF rejected any proposal to shift the dates due to the competition’s importance in the global qualification cycle.
“Some countries said, ‘Please, can we host it?’ but they want to change the dates.
“We can’t change the dates because it’s one of the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup.
“The WAFCON will continue; it’s going to be successful, and we will make sure it takes place within that window,” he added.
The 2026 WAFCON finals are scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026.
The tournament will also serve as Africa’s qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, adding further significance to the competition.
Morocco previously hosted a highly successful edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, which recorded strong attendance figures and growing global interest in women’s football across the continent.
With CAF reaffirming its confidence in the North African nation, preparations are expected to intensify in the coming months as teams across Africa gear up for the crucial tournament.
