The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, moving the tournament from its earlier March schedule to a new period later in the year.
In a statement released on Thursday, the continental football body confirmed that the competition, which will be hosted by Morocco, will now take place from July 25 to August 16, 2026. The tournament was initially planned to run from March 17 to April 3.
CAF said the decision followed consultations with FIFA and other partners involved in organising the event.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 to 25 July – 16 August 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” the organisation said.
The governing body added that preparations for the tournament were ongoing and expressed optimism that the event would be successful.
“Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” the statement added.
The announcement ends weeks of speculation over the tournament’s timeline. Morocco had secured the hosting rights for the competition in October 2024, but concerns had recently emerged about whether several organisational arrangements would be ready before the originally planned kickoff date.
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Reports indicated that some important details were still pending, including the venues for knockout matches, accreditation processes for journalists and officials, and technical workshops linked to the competition. Promotional activities surrounding the tournament were also yet to gain significant momentum.
For Nigeria women’s national football team, popularly known as the Super Falcons, the change in schedule may provide additional time to prepare for their title defence.
The team recently played a two-match friendly series against Cameroon women’s national football team in Yaoundé, losing the first encounter 1–0 before responding with a 3–1 victory in the second game.
Beyond the continental title, the tournament will also play a crucial role in determining Africa’s representatives at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be held in Brazil. According to the qualification format, the four semi-finalists will automatically qualify for the global tournament, while another African team will have a chance to secure a place through an intercontinental play-off.