It is official. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON),  about 12 days from when it was originally set to commence in Morocco.

The move had been rumoured for days, but CAF announced on Thursday, March 5, that the tournament will instead be played between July 25 and August 16 “to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances.’’

“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026 to 25 July – 16 August 2026 to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” CAF’s statement said.

“Preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026 are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful.”

WAFCON 2026 was set to be the first edition with 16 nations after Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and Egypt were added in November despite initially failing to qualify.

However, the tournament now sees a similar fate to the last edition. The 2024 tournament was postponed until July 2025 in order to avoid a clash with the 2024 Olympic Games.

The newly scheduled July 25 start date is also just a few days after the completion of the men’s 2026 World Cup final on July 19.

CAF’s decision has been met with criticism, especially over the late announcement, as many countries, journalists, and content creators had already begun preparations for the tournament in Morocco, which was set to host the competition for the third consecutive time.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons stars have been among the most vocal, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade saying African women deserve better.

African women football deserves better. 😡#CAF #WAFCON2026

— Rasheedat Ajibade OON, OLY (@Rasheedat08) March 5, 2026

Ten-time record champions Nigeria will be aiming to extend their tally to 11 after staging a comeback to defeat hosts Morocco in the last edition. The team has already begun preparations with a double header of friendly matches against Cameroon.