Former champions, Equatorial Guinea will miss the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after suffering an upset in the first qualifying round.
Despite being ranked 63 places above Tanzania, the two-time winners failed to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit, managing only a 1-1 draw at home, sealing their exit from the tournament.
Equatorial Guinea, champions in 2008 and 2012, has failed to qualify for WAFCON since 2018, when it finished bottom of its group. Elsewhere, Kenya’s goalkeeper Lilian Awuor emerged as the hero, saving two penalties to help the Harambee Starlets eliminate Tunisia, who were ranked 71 places above them. An early goal from Tereza Engesha secured a 1-0 win in North Africa, completing a stunning upset.
Meanwhile, Botswana were eliminated even before participating in the 2024 WAFCON. They played out a 0-0 draw against DR Congo but were already trailing 2-0 on aggregate from the first leg.
Togo and Mali delivered the most dominant performances, winning 10-0 and 10-1 on aggregate against Djibouti and Gabon, respectively. The second round of qualifiers, scheduled for October 2025, will determine the 11 teams that will join hosts, Morocco at the 2026 WAFCON.
Reigning champions, South Africa, Zambia, and Nigeria were among the top-ranked teams that received byes to the second round. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to announce the tournament dates.
In other first-round results, Ethiopia overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Uganda, winning 2-0 in normal time before triumphing 5-4 on penalties. Namibia progressed with a 4-0 aggregate win over Eswatini, while Burkina Faso defeated Burundi 5-1 overall to set up a second-round clash against Togo.
Kenya’s reward for eliminating Tunisia is a showdown with The Gambia, while Cape Verde, who overcame Guinea 6-3 on aggregate, will face Mali. Meanwhile, Benin will take on 11-time champions Nigeria after knocking out Sierra Leone 5-2 on aggregate. Egypt, seeking their first WAFCON qualification since 2016, eliminated Rwanda and will now face Ghana.
Algeria thrashed South Sudan 8-0 on aggregate to set up a clash with Cameroon. Additionally, Malawi and Senegal progressed without playing—Malawi received a walkover after Congo-Brazzaville’s suspension, while Senegal advanced following Chad’s withdrawal.
WAFCON 2026 Second-Round Fixtures (October 20–28, 2025)
- Angola vs Malawi
- DR Congo vs South Africa
- Tanzania vs Ethiopia
- Namibia vs Zambia
- Burkina Faso vs Togo
- Algeria vs Cameroon
- Egypt vs Ghana
- Kenya vs The Gambia
- Benin vs Nigeria
- Cape Verde vs Mali
- Senegal vs Ivory Coast
With underdogs proving their strength in the first round, the battle for a place at WAFCON 2026 promises to be even more intense.
