WAFCON: Defending champions Nigeria draw debutants Malawi

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final draw was made on Thursday, January 15 at the Mohammed V Stadium in Morocco with defending champions Nigeria given Group C alongside 2022 runners-up Zambia, Egypt and debutants Malawi to contend with.

Get ready… today’s the day! 🤩

The #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2026 final draw is almost here and the excitement is REAL! pic.twitter.com/bO1rMIvtsF

— CAF Women’s Football (@CAFwomen) January 15, 2026

The expanded tournament will comprise sixteen teams with venues spread across Rabat, Casablanca and Fez. There will be two venues in Rabat, one in Casablanca and the other in Fez for the sixteen day tournament.

Hosts Morocco have been paired against 2024 quarterfinalists Algeria, Senegal who made the quarter finals in 2022 and 2024 as well as East Africans Kenya in Group A.

The Group B has 2022 champions South Africa, 2014 second runners-up Cote D’Ivoire alongside Burkina Faso and Tanzania while Group C houses record holders Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt and debutants Malawi.

Ghana’s Black Queens have been handed a challenging Group D, where they will face three-time runners-up Cameroon, 2018 semifinalists Mali and debutants Cape Verde. Ghana won bronze at the last edition in Morocco.

Nine countries out of the sixteen qualified teams participated at the last competition in Morocco with Tunisia, DR Congo and Botswana missing out. Two countries, Cape Verde and Malawi, are making their debut appearance in the finals this time around.

The tournament format will see the top two teams from each group progress to the knockout phase, starting from the quarter-finals. The competition will also serve as part of the qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027. The competition is set between March 17 and April 3.

2026 WAFCON Draw

Group A: Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Senegal, Kenya

Group B: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania

Group C: Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Malawi

Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde