Algeria and Senegal will make history on Sunday when they meet for the first time in the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) at the iconic Rabat Olympic Stadium.
The Group A encounter will be the first competitive meeting between the two women’s national teams, despite their male counterparts having faced each other several times, including the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final, which Algeria won 1-0.
Senegal head into the tournament with growing confidence after reaching the quarter-finals in the last two editions in 2022 and 2024. The Lionesses are now targeting a place in the semi-finals and a historic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Coach Mame Moussa Cissé, who has been in charge since 2019, believes his side is ready to take the next step.
“The legitimate ambition today is to try to reach the final and go to the World Cup. Today, we are here to take this next step for Senegalese women’s football.”
Cissé has assembled a squad that combines experienced players with promising talents from the country’s U17 and U20 teams.
Senegal will also draw confidence from their strong record in their opening matches at the last two WAFCON tournaments, winning 2-0 against Uganda in 2022 and defeating DR Congo 4-0 in 2024.
The Lionesses will look to Nguenar Ndiaye for goals. The forward is Senegal’s all-time leading scorer at the WAFCON with five goals, four of which came during the 2024 edition.
However, Senegal will be seeking to end a poor run against North African opposition. The team has yet to score against a North African side in three WAFCON encounters, suffering two 1-0 defeats to Morocco and playing out a goalless draw with Tunisia.
Algeria, meanwhile, arrive at the tournament with a reputation for defensive resilience. The Fennecs are appearing at the WAFCON finals for the seventh time and will be hoping to build on their impressive progress under coach Farid Benstiti.
Algeria did not concede a goal at the 2024 WAFCON, recording four clean sheets and completing a remarkable 416-minute unbeaten run. Their last goal conceded in the competition dates back to 2018.
Their biggest concern, however, is their lack of attacking firepower. Algeria have scored just once in their last four WAFCON matches, with their only goal coming in a 1-0 victory over Botswana. They are also currently on a 381-minute scoring drought after ending their last three matches in goalless draws.
Benstiti believes Algeria can cause problems for the other teams in the group and emerge as surprise contenders.
“Algeria, compared to Senegal, are currently a team that will certainly pose problems for the other three teams. And I feel that we have what it takes to be spoilers in this group,” he said.
For Cissé, team unity and solidarity will be key to Senegal’s success.
“Solidarity. A willingness to work together. A positive environment. It is through unity that we can achieve this,” he said.
The statistics, however, offer a mixed picture for Algeria. The Fennecs have faced West African opposition eight times in the past, recording two wins, one draw and five defeats.
With both teams aiming to make a strong start to their WAFCON 2026 campaigns, Sunday’s historic encounter promises to be a closely contested battle between Senegal’s attacking ambition and Algeria’s formidable defensive organisation.
