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4h ago

CAF Finalizes 16-Team WAFCON 2026 Field Using FIFA Rankings

The ruling replaces anticipated play-offs by reinstating four round-two losers through the rankings.

Players of the South African women's soccer team, show off their trophy during their arrival, after winning their first Women's Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco, at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, July 26, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Overview

  • Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and Egypt complete the field after CAF advanced the highest-ranked teams eliminated in the second qualifying round.
  • The finals were expanded from 12 to 16 teams during qualifying, altering the path teams expected to follow to reach Morocco.
  • The quartet joins 12 qualifiers already secured, including reigning champions Nigeria and host nation Morocco.
  • CAF has not announced tournament dates or the draw, though FIFA previously earmarked 17 March to 3 April 2026 for the event.
  • The four semi-finalists will qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with losing quarter-finalists moving into an inter-confederation play-off for two additional places.