CAF Expands Women’s AFCON To 16 Teams

Monday 5th January 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

The WAFCON expansion to 16 teams is now official after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) increased the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals from 12 to 16 teams for the next tournament in Morocco. The finals are scheduled for March 17 to April 3, 2026.

CAF’s change adds four teams that were previously eliminated in the last preliminary round. Those sides qualify as the best four losers based on FIFA rankings, according to Reuters reporting on CAF’s announcement. Therefore, more national teams will now enter the finals stage, which can widen exposure and commercial interest.

The 2026 edition carries extra weight because it will serve as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. In addition, the top four teams at the tournament will earn World Cup places, which raises the stakes for preparation, coaching and federation funding.

Morocco’s hosting role also fits a broader calendar where the country is set to stage major CAF events. However, women’s football still faces uneven investment across the continent. Consequently, the expanded field could create pressure for better logistics, player welfare and competitive balance, especially for federations that now have less time to adjust budgets and camps.

At the same time, expansion can deepen the pipeline. So, more teams gaining finals experience may improve future qualifiers and help leagues retain talent. Meanwhile, sponsors will watch audience growth and broadcast performance closely as women’s sport competes for limited marketing budgets.

Next steps — WAFCON expansion to 16 teams

CAF and Morocco will now finalise venue logistics and tournament operations, while federations adjust preparations for the bigger field. Meanwhile, qualification implications for the World Cup race will sharpen once the finals draw and match schedule are confirmed.

Why it matters

A larger finals field can accelerate women’s football development. Therefore, it can lift visibility, strengthen talent pathways and increase the continent’s competitiveness on the global stage.