Cameroon became only the fourth nation to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after defeating Malawi 3-0 in Sunday’s final, bringing a memorable 2026 tournament in Morocco to a close.
The tournament, which featured 16 teams for the first time, was largely regarded as a success despite the uncertainty that surrounded its organisation after the competition was postponed just 12 days before the originally scheduled March kick-off.
The expansion from 12 to 16 teams was one of the biggest talking points of the tournament, and the competition provided early evidence that the decision could benefit the development of women’s football in Africa.
Cameroon were among the biggest beneficiaries of the expansion.
The Indomitable Lionesses had been eliminated by Algeria during the original qualifying process but were given a place at the finals based on their world ranking following CAF’s decision to increase the number of participating teams.
They went on to make the most of the opportunity, overcoming the odds to reach the final and defeat Malawi 3-0 to claim the continental title.
Ivory Coast also benefited from the ranking-based qualification system after missing the previous WAFCON. The Ivorians topped their group before their campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Algeria.
The expanded tournament also provided more competitive matches for teams across the continent, giving emerging sides valuable experience against stronger opposition.
Perhaps the biggest reward came with qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
All four semi-finalists secured places at the global tournament, with Malawi and Algeria set to make their World Cup debuts alongside champions Cameroon and hosts Morocco.
The development represents another significant milestone for women’s football in Africa, particularly for nations that have traditionally struggled to gain access to major international competitions.
The 16-team format also created more opportunities for players and national teams to compete at a higher level, which could prove important as African women’s football continues to grow.
While questions may remain over the timing of the expansion and the tournament’s postponement, the action in Morocco provided a strong argument for maintaining the larger format.
With more high-level competitive matches needed to close the gap between Africa and the world’s leading women’s football nations, the 2026 WAFCON could ultimately prove that expanding the tournament was the right decision.
