The Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), formerly the African Women’s Championship, will obtain underway on Saturday, July 5th, in Morocco with South Africa’s Banyana Banyana seeking to protect the title they won in the last edition.
A total of 12 teams will square it out during the tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1998 as the qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for African nations.
The teams contain South Africa, Morocco, Zambia, DR Congo, Senegal, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana, Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania.
The teams have been drawn into three groups, with Group A comprising hosts Morocco, Zambia, DR Congo, Senegal, Group B will comprise Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana, while Group C will have South Africa, Ghana, Mali and Tanzania.
Initially started as a home-and-away qualification competition, it obtained rechristened as a biennial tournament in 1998 and took on its current name as of the 2016 edition.
Nigeria is the most successful nation in the history of the tournament since it became full-scale in 1998, winning nine of the 12 editions so far and making it to at least the semi-final in every tournament they have played.
Equatorial Guinea won as hosts of the 2008 and 2012 editions and South Africa are the current champions having won the latest 2022 edition to become the third African nation to ever win the tournament.
Morocco, Ghana, and Cameroon are the only nations outside of the previous winners to have also made it to the tournament’s final.
How to Watch WAFCON 2024The 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will be air across multiple platforms to ensure fans across Africa and beyond can pursue every moment of the action.
Africa-wide coverage• SuperSport (DStv) – The official broadcaster across Sub-Saharan Africa will air all 26 matches live, with multi-language commentary and pre/post-match analysis.
• New World TV – Selected French-language coverage across West and Central Africa.
In Morocco• SNRT (Al Aoula & Arryadia) – Moroccan state TV channels will provide live coverage of all matches involving the Atlas Lionesses and other key fixtures.
Online & international streaming• CAF TV (YouTube) – CAF will stream selected matches live and make highlights available globally, especially for viewers without regional broadcasters.
• FIFA+ – Some matches may be available to stream free via FIFA’s digital platform, depending on licensing agreements.
• Streaming via broadcaster apps – SuperSport and SNRT apps also offer live streaming to authenticated users in their regions.
Venues for WAFCON matchesThe tournament, which kicks off on July 5th and runs until July 26th, 2025, will see six venues host the matches.
Olympic Stadium in Rabat with a capacity of 21,000, is one the venues that have been lined up for the continent’s finest sides competing across Moroccan cities in what promises to be a fiercely contested edition of the championship.
Casablanca will have two venues hosting matches - Larbi Zaouli (30,000) and Père Jémove (10,000).
The other venues contain Mohammédia in El Bachir (15,000), Oujda – Honor Stadium (35,000), and Berkane – Berkane Stadium (12,000).
South Africa to open campaign against GhanaBanyana Banyana, who clinched their maiden WAFCON title in Morocco in 2022, will open their title defence against the Black Queens of Ghana on July 7th, pursued by fixtures against Tanzania (July 11th) and Mali (July 14th), all to be staged at Honneur Stadium in Oujda.
Banyana wingback Gabriela Salgado has admitted that all the pressure will be on the South African team to protect their title since all the teams in the tournament will be wanting a piece of them.
South Africa players during trainingBanyana Media“The team is fully concentrated, prepared and we know what we have to do at the tournament being champions from 2022.
Going into the tournament it’s going to take a lot of concentrate and determination because every team that comes here wants to win.
So we just have to move out there and do what the coach has requested for us and what we’ve trained,” Salgado told SAFA Media.
On the weather in Morocco, she said: “It’s very hot here but we are adjusting.
You can complain but it doesn’t change the weather, so we are just adjusting and doing our very best to obtain used to the conditions because within the tournament we will confront the same heat.
“So it’s just to adjust and hydrate, make sure that we hydrate and stay concentrated as well because it takes a lot of our energy.
But yes, the girls are doing well, we are fully prepared and ready for this battle.
”Who will Nigeria and Zambia confront in their openers?Nine-time champions Nigeria will compete in Group B alongside Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana.
The Super Falcons under Justin Madugu, a CAF A and B licensed coach, will start their campaign against Tunisia at Stade El Arbi Zaouli on Sunday, July 6th.
Nigeria has dominated the history of the tournament since its inception.
The Super Falcons have won nine of the twelve editions gripped, demonstrating remarkable longevity at the summit of African women’s football.
Their reign started in 1998 and continued in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
In 2022, in Morocco, they completed fourth after a 1-0 beat to Zambia in the third-place match.
They will confront Botswana in their second fixture on Thursday, July 10th before winding up their primary campaign against Algeria on Sunday, July 13th.
On paper, the Super Falcons are overwhelming favourites, with their undergo and individual quality placing them above the rest.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Copper Queens, led by coach Nora Häuptle, will confront hosts Morocco in the tournament’s opening match at the newly constructed Olympic Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, July 5th.
Zambia’s group stage campaign will continue with encounters against Senegal and DR Congo on July 9th and 12th, respectively, both at El Bachir Stadium in Mohammédia.
Zambia coach Nora HauptleFAZ MediaSpeaking ahead of the opener at the Olympic Stadium, Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda said the team’s undergo, unity and concentrate will be key as they prepare to take on the best in the continent.
“I think the team has been together for a long time, and the undergo of staying in a team is showing.
When we talk over the club, I have to hand over that undergo from my club (Orlando Pride) and implement it with the national team, where we are working together as a team,” said Banda.
Looking ahead to the Morocco game, Banda said the team is not dwelling on past meetings but is concentrated on their strategy for Saturday.
“Like the coach has said, this is a different game.
We have come up with something new, and I don't think we still rely on what we possessed in the past.
We are starting tomorrow at 0–0.
We know Morocco is a very good team, but we are going with our different move toward, and we are sticking to our principles,” offered the 2024 CAF African Women’s Player of the Year.
On her part, coach Häuptle said the Copper Queens are ready to start their campaign on a strong note when they confront the North Africans.
“We reached very early in Morocco, 10 days ago, in Casablanca, where our pre-camp is situated.
We possessed a very good training and the international players reached early ahead of the competition,” said Häuptle.
“We possessed a very close friendly game that we played there, which moved well, and also possessed a snapped of Moroccan culture.
So far, all good.
”She added: "There is competition between Zambia and Morocco.
We possessed four games played in the last two years, and Zambia won the Olympic qualifiers, which makes good memories but for tomorrow’s game, we start at 0-0.
“For me, it’s always a pleasure to start the opening game.
I wish that there will be a packed stadium to obtain this vibrant atmosphere.
As lead coach, we like this atmosphere and we like to move all out because it’s vibrant.
”Full match schedule:Note: All kick-off times are listed in Morocco local time (GMT+1).
Group Stage ( July 5-14, 2025, GMT+1)Group A• July 5th, 21:00 – Rabat (Olympic): Morocco vs Zambia• July 6th, 15:00 – Mohammédia (El Bachir): Senegal vs DR Congo• July 9th, 17:00 – Mohammédia: Zambia vs Senegal• July 9th, 20:00 – Rabat: DR Congo vs Morocco• July 12th, 20:00 – Rabat: Morocco vs Senegal• July 12th, 20:00 – Mohammédia: Zambia vs DR CongoGroup B• July 6th, 17:00 – Casablanca (Larbi Zaouli): Nigeria vs Tunisia• July 6th, 20:00 – Casablanca (Père Jémove): Algeria vs Botswana• July 10th, 17:00 – Casablanca (Père Jémove): Tunisia vs Algeria• 10 July 10th, 20:00 – Casablanca (Larbi Zaouli): Botswana vs Nigeria• July 13th, 20:00 – Casablanca (Larbi Zaouli): Nigeria vs Algeria• July 13th, 20:00 – Casablanca (Père Jémove): Tunisia vs BotswanaGroup C• July 7th, 17:00 – Oujda (Honneur): South Africa vs Ghana• July 7th, 20:00 – Berkane: Mali vs Tanzania• July 11th, 17:00 – Berkane: Ghana vs Mali• July 11th, 20:00 – Oujda: Tanzania vs South Africa• July 14th, 20:00 – Oujda: South Africa vs Mali• July 14th, 20:00 – Berkane: Ghana vs TanzaniaKnockout roundsQuarter-finals• July 18th, 17:00 – Casablanca (Larbi Zaouli): Winner Group B vs Runner-up Group A• July 18th, 20:00 – Rabat (Olympic): Winner Group A vs Best 3rd-place• July 19th, 17:00 – Berkane: Runner-up Group B vs Runner-up Group C• July 19th, 20:00 – Oujda: Winner Group C vs Best 3rd-placeSemi-finals• July 22nd, 17:00 – Casablanca (Larbi Zaouli): Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4• July 22nd, 20:00 – Rabat (Olympic): Winner QF2 vs Winner QF3Third-place playoff & final• July 25th, 20:00 – Casablanca (Larbi Zaouli): Losers of SFs• July 26th, 21:00 – Rabat (Olympic): FinalDennis MabukaBetopick
