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By Goli Innocent
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, pushing the tournament in Morocco from its original March schedule to a new window between July 25 and August 16.
CAF confirmed the decision in a statement on Thursday after consultations with FIFA and other stakeholders involved in organising the competition.
The tournament was initially scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3.
According to the continental football body, the adjustment became necessary to ensure the smooth organisation of Africa’s biggest women’s football competition.
CAF said the new dates would give organisers enough time to put key arrangements in place.
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“After discussions between CAF, FIFA and other partners, it was agreed that the tournament be moved to July–August to ensure the success of the competition,” the statement said.
In recent weeks, concerns had quietly grown around preparations for the event, with issues such as venue confirmations for the knockout rounds, accreditation for journalists and officials, and technical workshops yet to be finalised.
Promotional activities around the competition were also still limited. For defending champions Nigeria, the shift could prove helpful.
The Super Falcons will now have more time to prepare for their title defence after recently completing a friendly series against Cameroon in Yaoundé, where they lost the first match 1–0 before responding with a 3–1 victory in the return leg.
The tournament will also double as Africa’s qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic tickets, while another team will have a chance through an intercontinental play-off.
