The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to revise the WAFCON tournament, scheduled to take place in Morocco next year, expanding it from 12 to 16 teams.
Twelve teams had already qualified through the preliminary rounds. The teams that were eliminated had hoped for an additional playoff to compete for the final four spots.
However, CAF announced that the last four teams would be determined based on FIFA’s world rankings. According to the rankings, Cameroon (66th in the world), Ivory Coast (71st), Mali (79th), and Egypt (95th) earned the right to participate in WAFCON 2026.
Although the official dates of the tournament have not yet been announced, FIFA authorities previously indicated that it would take place between March 17 and April 3.
This tournament holds significant importance. The four teams that reach the semi-finals will qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Additionally, the four teams eliminated in the quarter-finals will face each other in a playoff system for a chance to earn a spot in the World Cup.