CAF Acting Secretary-General Samson Adamu Explains Why 2026 WAFCON Was Postponed to July–August

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has offered a formal explanation for the postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with acting Secretary-General Samson Adamu citing circumstances that would have compromised the quality of the tournament had it proceeded on its original schedule.

The competition was initially set to begin on March 17, 2026, but will now run from July 25 to August 16, 2026, hosted in Morocco. Adamu addressed the decision during an appearance on SuperSport’s Soccer Africa, framing the delay as a necessary step to protect the integrity of the competition.

“It is regrettable that the competition was delayed, I must say,” Adamu said. “The reason we delayed was that there were circumstances beyond us at the time that would not permit us to have the best competition possible, and also after having a very successful Africa Cup of Nations for the men.”

Adamu further emphasised the significance of staging the women’s tournament under conditions befitting its stature, particularly given its role as a qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “It was very important that the Women’s AFCON is organised under the right and perfect conditions for the women. What is deserving for this competition, especially the competition that is qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he added.

The acting Secretary-General acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the schedule change but defended the decision as serving the broader interests of African women’s football. “Sometimes, little discomfort for the greater good is exactly what we did, and this is why the competition has been moved now to July, and we will organise the competition as it has been planned in Morocco, and it is going to be a very good and special competition, and we already had inspection visits. We already had a plan, so it is going to be a really good competition,” Adamu stated.

Morocco, which previously hosted the 2022 WAFCON, is a familiar venue for the continent’s flagship women’s football event. CAF has confirmed that site inspection visits have already taken place, with planning reported to be well advanced ahead of the revised dates.

The postponement has not been without controversy. Nigeria’s Super Falcons forward Rasheedat Ajibade publicly criticised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over what she described as inadequate preparation for the tournament following the announcement of the Super Eagles’ schedule. The NFF has yet to formally respond to those comments.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons enter the tournament as defending champions, having claimed their 10th WAFCON title in Morocco in 2022. The squad will be targeting a record-extending 11th continental crown, while simultaneously seeking qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Super Falcons have been building towards the tournament with friendly fixtures against Cape Verde as part of their preparations.

The 2026 WAFCON carries added weight beyond continental bragging rights. Teams finishing in the top positions will secure berths at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, elevating the stakes considerably for all participating nations. With the revised timeline now confirmed and host preparations reportedly on track, attention turns to the qualifying picture and squad selections across the continent in the coming weeks.