The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will be expanded from 12 to 16 teams for the next edition of the tournament, scheduled to take place in March 2025.
Originally, 12 nations were set to compete in the finals hosted by Morocco from March 17 to April 3, but CAF’s Executive Committee has approved an expansion to include four additional teams.
As a result, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Mali, who were eliminated in the final qualifying round, have been reinstated as the best four losers based on their FIFA rankings, according to CAF.
The decision means they will join the previously qualified teams: defending champions Nigeria, former winners South Africa and Algeria, as well as Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Host nation Morocco automatically qualifies, marking the third time the North African country will host the tournament.
Beyond continental prestige, this year’s Women’s AFCON carries added significance as it will serve as Africa’s qualifying event for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The top four teams from the tournament will secure qualification spots.
Morocco will also play host to the Men’s Africa Cup of Nations later this year, running from December 22 to January 18, featuring 24 teams.
