Confusion briefly surrounded the hosting of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in the last few hours, Soccernet.ng reports.
This is after reports emerged on Sunday suggesting that Morocco had stepped aside, opening the door for South Africa to take over the tournament.
The uncertainty followed public comments by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, who stated during a televised broadcast that her country was ready to host the competition after Morocco allegedly indicated it could no longer do so.
The remarks immediately sparked widespread debate across African football, with concerns raised about logistics, scheduling and the potential impact on participating teams – including holders Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
Morocco had already earmarked cities such as Rabat, Casablanca and Fez as host venues, while the tournament is scheduled to take place between March and early April 2026. With fewer than two months to the proposed kick-off, the idea of a last-minute switch raised eyebrows, particularly given CAF’s historical stance on late host withdrawals.
Speculation also grew around possible political or organisational reasons behind the supposed decision, though neither CAF nor Moroccan authorities initially issued a statement to clarify the situation.
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WAFCON: Clarification issued as CAF position becomes clear
Those reports were later firmly addressed by South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who issued an official statement correcting the earlier interpretation.
According to the minister, South Africa has not been awarded the hosting rights for WAFCON 2026. Instead, the country merely expressed its willingness to assist CAF if alternative arrangements ever became necessary; a process described as routine contingency planning for major tournaments.
The statement confirmed that no hosting change has been approved, no emergency process has been triggered, and that Morocco remains the confirmed host nation. Any future shift, the minister added, would require formal CAF confirmation, South African cabinet approval, government guarantees and venue inspections. None of these have taken place.
CAF has also not announced any relocation, reinforcing Morocco’s position as host.
As things stand, Nigeria’s Super Falcons are still preparing to defend their continental crown on Moroccan soil.
The African queens claimed their tenth continental crown in August when Morocco hosted the delayed 2024 WAFCON.
Nigeria are scheduled to prepare for the 2026 edition with an invitational mini-tournament in Abidjan next month. Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria have confirmed their participation in the WAFU-organised event.
