South Africa inherits WAFCON with limited timeline as Morocco pulls out after AFCON fallout
South Africa has officially been named the new host of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following Morocco’s unexpected decision to withdraw.
The announcement was made by Peace Mabe, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, during the Super League Awards in Johannesburg.
“Tonight, I would like to announce that South Africa will be hosting the 2026 WAFCON, which we all know is a qualifying tournament for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil,” Mabe said.
Morocco hosted WAFCON in both 2022 and 2024 and was scheduled to host it once more in 2026, making it the first country to achieve this feat three consecutive times. Their exit comes just 60 days before the tournament was scheduled to begin. South Africa now has a limited timeframe to prepare for the competition, which is set to run from 17 March to 3 April 2026.
The event will feature an expanded 16-team format and serve as a qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. All four semi-finalist teams will earn automatic qualification for the global tournament.
Morocco’s exit linked to AFCON fallout
Although no formal statement has been issued by either the Confederation of African Football (CAF) or Moroccan authorities, Morocco’s withdrawal is widely believed to be related to tensions following the 2025 Men’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The men's tournament, hosted by Morocco, ended in a high-stakes final where Senegal defeated the host nation 1–0 in extra time.
The result has reportedly triggered internal pressure within Morocco to step back from hosting CAF competitions in the near term.
CAF sanctions
Following the controversial final, CAF’s Disciplinary Board has imposed a series of sanctions on both the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) and the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), citing breaches of the Disciplinary Code. These included violations related to fair play, integrity, and respect for match officials.
The FRMF faced US$315,000 in fines for the inappropriate behaviour of ball boys, players and staff interfering in the VAR review area, and the use of lasers by fans, while CAF officially dismissed Morocco's protest to overturn the final result
The FSF also received US$615,000 in fines for the improper conduct of supporters and staff, as well as team cautions; most notably, Senegal’s head coach, Pape Bouna Thiaw, was handed a five-match suspension and a US$ 100,000 fine.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
