By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Defending Champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria to Play All Group Matches in Fez.
DRAWS FOR the 14th edition of the Women African Football Cup of Nation (WAFCON) 2026 were on Thursday afternoon drawn with Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Egypt in group C probably an aftermath of the AFCON Men’s 3rd place match to be played on Saturday in Morocco.
In group C with Nigeria ranked 37 in the world are Zambia ranked 64; Egypt ranked 101 and Malawi ranked 152. Hosts Morocco ranked 66 are in group A with Algeria ranked 73; Senegal ranked81 and Kenya ranked 133.
South Africa ranked 55 is leading group B that includes Ivory Coast ranked 72; Burkina Faso ranked 118 and Tanzania ranked 121 while group D led by Ghana ranked 62 comprises Cameroon ranked 70; Mali ranked 85 and Cape Verde ranked 119.
The competition which runs from 17th March to 3rd April is to be hosted by Morocco that is hosting for the 3rd consecutive time having hosted in 2022 and 2024 but only four venues have been picked, two in Rabat the Moroccan capital as well as Casablanca and Fez that was the home of the Super Eagles at AFCON 20026.
Nigeria hosted the championship thrice in 1998, 2002 and 2006; South Africa hosted also thrice in 2000, 2004 and 2010; Morocco is hosting thrice too now back to back in 2022, 2024 and this year.
Equatorial Guinea hosted twice in 2008 and 2012 while Namibia hosted in 2014, Cameroon in 2016 and Ghana in 2018.
Participating countries were increased from 12 to 16 for the first time in this tournament.
The four semifinalists at the tournament will be representing Africa at the Women’s world cup in Brazil.
Nigeria is the most decorated country at WAFCON becoming the ‘Mamangida’ (an Hausa phrase for a woman who controls the family and home) of the tournaments with a whopping ten titles won in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 and are the current defending Champions having won in 2024.
Nigeria never got to the finals and not win the match so they had no Silver medal but had one Bronze and placed 4th once. Nigeria also produced many female ‘Agba Ballers’ ( a phrase for top and legendary footballers) in Africa from WAFCON.
Equatorial Guinea won Gold twice in 2011 and 2012, had a Silver no bronze and no 4th place; South Africa won once, had four Silver medals got two bronze medals and placed 4th four times.
Ghana had three Silver medals four bronze medals while Cameroon had three silver medals three bronze medals and placed 4th four times. Morocco only had their two silver medals when they hosted.
Ivory Coast, Zambia and DR Congo could only boast of a bronze medal each while Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Mali placed 4th once.
There worries over the recent penchant of Morocco to win tournaments at all cost hacking dissent voices and threatening the system or opponents.
The President of the Cameroonian Football Federation, legendary Samuel E’too Fills who complained about the Moroccan plans that ousted his team has been handed a four match ban by CAF meaning he will not be at the stands when the Cameroonian women come to compete for honors in March.
Most decorated African woman player of the year with six honors had to warn the Super Eagles to beware of the Ghanaian Ref for their match against Morocco in AFCON 2025 Semifinals said that Moroccans are bad losers as the country petitioned FIFA over the Ref of the 2024 WAFCON finals that Nigeria defeated Morocco 3-2 in the finals.
She chided CAF and FIFA for favoring Morocco in every African football talks including awards, honors and hosting rights asking allegedly with an innocent mind whether Morocco has become the Headquarters of African football.
Morocco has been lined up to host the world cup for men.
Nigerian Coach, Eric Chelle alleged that the travel and protocols favored Morocco that would not need to travel for all their FCON 2025 matches but other country have to travel some noticeable distance by road which affect the players and officials recovery plan since there was no arrangement for local connecting flight.
Several complaints from other countries were equally filed especially about referee officiating which went into the voice mail of CAF.
One thing that players will enjoy in Morocco will be good pitches of world standard to play football as well as good tourism sights in the ancient cities.
#WAFCON26 #CAF #FRMF #FMF #SAFA
#FAFA #EFA #NFF.
