The 2026 Women's AFCON has officially kicked off in Morocco and the first matches immediately set the tone. With 16 nations competing, this edition represents a new milestone in the development of African women's football. The objective is the same for all teams: claim the continental title and secure their spot at the 2027 Women's World Cup.
A tense opening
The first fixtures confirmed the overall rise in quality across the continent. Morocco, the host nation, made a successful start, while Algeria caused a surprise by defeating Senegal. These early results have already placed several teams under pressure ahead of the second matchday.
Teams beaten in their opening match have very little margin for error, while the winners will look to take a giant step towards the quarter-finals. Each matchday could reshuffle the cards across the various groups, as the battle for qualifying spots promises to be tight.
Favourites on track
Eyes naturally turn towards the most anticipated nations. Nigeria, the most decorated nation in the competition's history, is regarded as a title contender. South Africa, the reigning champions, are determined to retain their crown.
Other teams also harbour serious ambitions. Ghana, Zambia, Cameroon, Mali and Côte d'Ivoire are all hoping to cause upsets and make their mark on the tournament.
Senegal with their backs against the wall
For the Senegal Lionesses, bouncing back is now the absolute priority. Following their opening defeat against Algeria, they will need to show a completely different face in their next match to stay in the running and keep their ambitions in this competition alive.
A promising vintage for African women's football
One thing is already certain: this 2026 Women's AFCON looks set to be one of the most open in its history. The gaps between nations continue to narrow, and every match promises its share of twists and turns. African women's football confirms, edition after edition, that it is very much in full development.
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