All Aboard! The 2026 WAFCON Field Is Set
Cabo Verde and Malawi make history. Cameroon crashes out again!
Cabo Verde and a Temwa Chawinga-less Malawi made history by qualifying for their nations’ first-ever WAFCON. Meanwhile, KC’s Jereko and Bay’s Racheal Kundananji led Kenya and Zambia into the group stages. Boston Legacy’s Aissata Troare and Spirit’s Rose Kouassi fail to meet the moment with Mali and the Ivory Coast.
Here’s a final roundup of all the drama from the final day of qualifiers to Morocco 🇲🇦
TL;DR March 2026 WAFCON Participants:
Malawi | South Africa | Tanzania | Zambia
Burkina Faso | Algeria | Ghana | Kenya
Nigeria | Cabo Verde | Senegal | Morocco (host nation)
Malawi
The Scorchers had one of the most dramatic runs to WAFCON — waiting until the final ten minutes to seal their spot! Locked in a tense battle with Angola, BK Häcken FF’s Faith Chinzimu became the hero with goals in the 82nd and 84th minute.
Now, with Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga ready to light up the continent, Malawi enters their debut tournament as a true wild card. One message to their opponents: approach at your own risk.
Final Score: Malawi 2 - 0 Angola
Zambia
Copper Queen Racheal Kundananji was in full boss mode. She dragged Zambia into the WAFCON group stage, scoring four goals and causing havoc on Namibia’s defense all game long. She drifted between the wing and inside forward, confident, ruthless, unstoppable.
Even without captain Barbra Banda, Zambia’s NWSL trio delivered. Orlando Pride’s Grace Chanda and ACFC’s Prisca Chilufya joined in, Chilufya netting the third in a 3–0 home win to wrap things up.
Aggregate: Zambia 7 - 2 Namibia
Kenya
Kenya might just be entering its golden generation of women’s football. Led by KC Current’s Jereko (on loan at HB Køge), the Harambee Starlets fought their way past The Gambia.
Jereko converted a clutch penalty in the first leg comeback, then bagged the winner away in Banjul. If that doesn’t scream Captain Energy, then what? Kenya now heads to Morocco filled with belief, having earned every inch of this qualification the hard way.
Aggregate: Kenya 4 - 1 Gambia
Nigeria
No surprises here, the Super Falcons did Super Falcon things. They brushed aside Benin Republic 0–2 away and held them 1–1 at home. Ashleigh Plumptre scored early, and even when Benin equalized, Nigeria looked completely unbothered.
For NWSL fans, Deborah Abiodun and Michelle Alozie both impressed with Abiodun running the midfield, Alozie locking down the right flank. Nigeria heads to WAFCON chasing their 11th title. At this point, we’re talking Real Madrid–level dominance. Who’s stopping them?
Aggregate: Nigeria 3 - 1 Benin Republic
Ivory Coast
Heartbreak. Absolute heartbreak. The Elephants’ WAFCON dream ended in penalties against Senegal after two scoreless legs in Thies and Abidjan. Kouassi converted hers, but Anastasie Gbehi’s miss gave Senegal the narrow edge. The wait continues for another two years having missed out all WAFCONs since 2014! This second coming of a golden generation needs to take the next step.
Aggregate: 0 - 0 (Senegal win 5-4 on penalties)
Cabo Verde
Here’s the fairytale story. Cabo Verde stunned Aissata Traoré’s Mali, booking their first-ever WAFCON spot , weeks after the men’s team qualified for their first World Cup.
In what ended up being the most dramatic game, Cabo, having lost 0-1 at home, went to Bamako and swept the floor with Mali. Within the first twenty-five minutes of play they went up three to nil. Two second-half goals from Mali’s Omou Kone did not save the Malians as a 73rd-minute goal from Beşiktaş’s Evy Pereira sent Cabo above and beyond, 4-3 and the sharks are on the way to Morocco.
For a small island nation with a massive diaspora across Europe and the U.S. (especially Boston), 2026 is shaping up to be a year-long celebration. Ironically, Aissata will soon return to Boston for the NWSL season instead of WAFCON glory.
Aggregate: Cabo Verde 4- 3 Mali
With strong sides like Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon, and Congo missing out, it’s clear: African women’s football is evolving fast. Maybe it’s time WAFCON expanded to 16 teams — otherwise, too many emerging programs risk being stifled, with some federations using failure to qualify as an excuse to pause or pull back investment in their women’s teams.
Final scores:
Malawi def. Angola 2–0
South Africa def. DR Congo 2–1
Tanzania def. Ethiopia 3–0
Zambia def. Namibia 7–2
Burkina Faso def. Togo 3–0
Algeria def. Cameroon 3–1
Ghana def. Egypt 7–0
Kenya def. Gambia 4–1
Nigeria def. Benin 3–1
Cabo Verde def. Mali 4–3
Senegal def. Ivory Coast 0–0 (5–4 on penalties)
