The 17th edition of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations will kick off in Rabat on Sunday, 26 July 2026, with Senegal facing Algeria in the opening game.
The 17th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will kick off in Rabat on Sunday, 26 July 2026, with Senegal facing Algeria in the opening game.
Here, Kapitalradio971.com sports runs you through all that you need to know ahead of the much-anticipated tournament.
Host Nation: Morocco
Dates: 26th July – 16th August
Groups
Top 2 teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals
Group A: Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Senegal, Kenya.
Group B: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania.
Group C: Nigeria (holders), Zambia, Egypt, Malawi.
Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde.
Venues
The five venues across two cities have been confirmed for the tournament:
* Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat
* Olympic Stadium, Rabat
* Al Medina Stadium, Rabat
* Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca
* Moulay Rachid Stadium, Casablanca
Television coverage:
* beIN Sport, Channel 4, DAZN in Europe
* Ziggo and CANAL+ in French-speaking Africa
* SNRT for host nation Morocco
* SABC in South Africa
* AZAM Media for parts of East Africa, including Tanzania
* BBC Radio for some Sub-Saharan territories.
* There are over 18 Free-to-Air (“FTA”) broadcasters, including KBC in Kenya, AfroSport in Nigeria, MaxTV in Ghana, RTI in Côte d’Ivoire, RTCV in Cape Verde, ZNBC in Zambia and RTB in Burkina Faso.
What is the prize money?
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a significant increase in prize money for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, doubling the reward for the eventual champions.
While Nigeria pocketed $1 million after lifting the trophy last year, the winners of the 2026 edition will now walk away with $2 million.
Runners-up will also see a substantial boost, with their share rising by 50 per cent to $750,000.
Overall, the tournament’s total prize pot has climbed from $3.475 million to $5.8 million, reflecting CAF’s growing investment in the women’s game.
Beyond the podium finishers, every one of the 16 participating nations stands to benefit.
Each team will receive $150,000 simply for taking part — a $25,000 increase compared to the 2024 finals, underscoring CAF’s commitment to rewarding participation across the board as the tournament continues to expand.
COMMENTS