Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced an expansion of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, starting with the next edition scheduled to take place in Morocco from March 17 to April 3, 2025.
Originally planned to feature 12 teams, CAF’s Executive Committee has now approved an increase by four, marking a significant milestone in the growth of women’s football across the continent.
The expansion means that Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Mali—who were eliminated in the final qualifying round—will now join the tournament as the best four losers, determined based on FIFA rankings.
They will join the 11 teams that booked their tickets during the final round of qualifiers last week: Nigeria (defending champions), South Africa, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. Host nation Morocco completes the 16-team lineup.
This will be the third time Morocco is hosting the Women’s AFCON, underscoring the North African nation’s growing influence in African football. Beyond continental glory, the 2025 tournament will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the top four finishers earning automatic qualification.
The development is another major boost for women’s football on the continent, providing more nations with the opportunity to compete at the highest level and further showcasing the progress made in promoting gender inclusion in African sport.
Meanwhile, Morocco will also host the Men’s Africa Cup of Nations later this year, from December 22, 2025, to January 18, 2026, featuring 24 teams.
The dual hosting duties highlight Morocco’s growing reputation as a key hub for African football and CAF’s commitment to expanding participation and visibility across both men’s and women’s competitions.
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