Wafcon 2026: Things we learned from finals in Morocco as Cameroon crowned champions
BBC • • sports
Key Points:
- Cameroon won the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) for the first time, defeating Malawi 3-0 in the final, becoming the fourth nation to claim the trophy after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa.
- The 2024 Wafcon, held in Morocco and expanded to 16 teams, was considered largely successful, with increased competitiveness and several upsets, including Malawi reaching the final and defeating 10-time champions Nigeria.
- All four semi-finalists—Cameroon, Malawi, Algeria, and Morocco—qualified for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, marking Malawi and Algeria's debut at the global event.
- Nigeria experienced their worst-ever Wafcon performance, exiting in the quarter-finals and failing to qualify for the Women's World Cup for the first time, prompting calls for structural reforms within Nigerian women's football.
- The tournament featured 90 goals in 32 matches, with Cameroon’s coach Valentine Nguele becoming the fifth female coach to win Wafcon, highlighting progress in women's football leadership on the continent.
