CAF clears air on host country for upcoming WAFCON finals
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 13.02.26. | 21:34
Harambee Starlets will be among the 16 teams competing in the prestigious tourney having sealed a place during the qualifiers
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, has broken his silence on the status and the host country of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals.
Previously, there have been rumours suggesting that Morocco are considering withdrawing as the host nation, prompting Motsepe to clear the air.
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The CAF boss insists that the tournament will be hosted in Morocco.
The confirmation comes after South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Sport, Peace Mabel, sparked rumors after saying that her country would step in to host the tournament should Morocco be unable to do so.
Speaking at a press conference after the CAF Executive Committee Meeting held on Friday, 13 February at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Motsepe quelled the speculation and tension associated with the tournament’s host.
“The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is going ahead. There are discussions and a lot of competition. As of this moment, there is still a commitment with Morocco,” said Motsepe.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns chairman went ahead to explain why Morocco remains the best option despite other countries showing interest in hosting.
“Morocco came to our aid. There were many countries that wanted to host this tournament, and because there was not enough time, our options were very limited.
Some other countries said they wanted to host but wanted to change the date. We cannot change the dates because the tournament is part of the qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he added.
In effect, the continental tourney will proceed as planned, from Tuesday, 17 March to Friday, 3 April.
Motsepe went ahead to exude confidence in delivering a successful WAFCON.
“The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will proceed and will be successful, and we will ensure that the tournament takes place within the specified timeframe,” he added.
The tension surrounding the host nation had caused confusion to teams, with media and fans being unable to plan for their travels.
Harambee Starlets will be among the 16 teams competing in the prestigious tourney.
This will be the second time Starlets will be participating in the tournament, having made their debut ten years ago.
Coach Beldine Odemba had already named a provisional squad of 34 players. She is expected to trim the squad to 23 players.