Defending champions, Nigeria, have been drawn against Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi in Group C of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Super Falcons, record `10 times winners, will play the Group C games at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.
Nigeria’s match against the Copper Queens will be a reenactment of their quarter-final outing in the 2024 edition of the tournament. The Super Falcons thrashed the Zambians 5-0 in that game.
Morocco, runners-up in the last two editions of the WAFCON, are in Group A against Algeria, Kenya, and Senegal. Games in that lot will be played at the Moulay Al Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
Meanwhile, former champions South Africa were drawn with Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania in Group B.
The Banyana Banyana are expected to make the knockouts and relaunch their bid to reclaim the title they won in 2022. All Group B matches are at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat.
Giants Ghana and Cameroon will feature in Group D alongside Mali and Cape Verde at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.
The 2026 WAFCON runs from 17 March to 3 April 2026.
This year’s edition, which was originally scheduled for last year, will serve as the qualifiers for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The top four teams will represent Africa in the competition billed for Brazil. (Channels)
Mohamed Salah scored a first-half penalty as 10-man Egypt defeated South Africa1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash in Agadir to become the first team into the knockout stages of the competition.
Egypt have six points from their opening two games and cannot finish outside of the top two in the group. South Africa have three points from their two games.
Salah won the penalty when he was clipped in the face by South Africa defender Khuliso Mudau as they tussled for the ball, and stepped up to easily convert for his second goal of the tournament.
Egypt lost right-back Mohamed Hany to a red card for an ugly stamp at the end of the first half and faced wave after wave of South African attacks in the second period, as the latter were denied a penalty of their own for handball following a lengthy video assistant referee check.
Lassine Sinayoko’s second-half penalty rescued a 1-1 draw for Mali to stop the hosts Morocco from booking their spot in the last 16 in Rabat. Morocco hit the front thanks to Brahim Díaz’s spot-kick deep into added time in the first half.
Díaz earned the penalty with a fine bit of individual work before Nathan Gassama handled in the area but Mali got their own penalty after a video assistant referee check after 64 minutes when Sinayoko was upended and he made no mistake. Morocco sit top of Group A on four points, with Mali and Zambia both on two.
Angola and Zimbabwe each earned their first point at the tournament following a 1-1 draw but the result leaves both facing early elimination. They both lost their opening Group B clashes and are now left with difficult assignments in their last matches next week which they will effectively need to win if they are to progress.
Angola went ahead in the 24th minute when To Carneiro’s chipped pass fell perfectly for striker Gelson Dala, who ran on to it and squeezed the ball in at the near post as Zimbabwe’s defence proved too slow in closing down.
There was a lengthy delay soon after as Angola goalkeeper Hugo Marques suffered a cut above his eye after a clash of heads with Zimbabwe’s Divine Lunga.
He was bandaged up and continued but, in the sixth minute of stoppage time at the end of the first, he was beaten as Zimbabwe’s veteran striker Knowledge Musona equalised.
Angola now go up against the group’s top seeds Egypt, in Agadir on Monday, while Zimbabwe take on neighbours South Africa in Marrakech at the same time.
Zambia’s hopes of making the knockout stages suffered a setback after being held to a goalless draw by Comoros in Casablanca.
Comoros, beaten by the hosts Morocco in their opening Group A fixture, thought they had taken the lead in the 19th minute through Myziane Maolida after he was played in by Rafiki Saïd, but the goal was ruled out by the VAR for a foul in the buildup.
Zambia struggled to break down their opponents with the captain Fashion Sakala sending an angled shot into the side netting. Comoros went close to snatching a late winner with 10 minutes left when Youssouf M’Changama floated in a deep cross from the left which Zambia’s goalkeeper Willard Mwanza failed to collect, but Faïz Selamani sent his close-range header over. (Guardian)
Mohamed Salah got Egypt off to a winning start in the Africa Cup of Nations by scoring late for a 2–1 victory against Zimbabwe on Monday.
Salah captained the side in his first start for nearly a month and fired into the bottom corner in stoppage time to spare Egypt embarrassment against a team ranked 129th in the world.
Egypt, the record seven-time champions, were thwarted for long periods in the coastal city of Agadir by Zimbabwe’s stubborn defending and an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
Prince Dube stunned the favourites in the 20th minute when he took Emmanuel Jalai’s cross with his first touch, turned and flicked the ball past Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy with his next.
Salah tried to rally his team-mates, but Egypt suffered another blow shortly afterwards when Emam Ashour went off injured. The midfielder’s tears suggested his tournament could be over just as it had begun.
Arubi tipped over a fierce strike from Omar Marmoush, Trézéguet was booked for diving in an attempt to win a penalty, and Salah, Marmoush and Mohamed all had efforts blocked before the break.
The pattern continued after half-time until Marmoush finally found a way through, scoring from a difficult angle in the 64th minute to level the match.
Salah’s winner earned the Pharaohs three points in Group B. The Liverpool forward has never won Africa’s premier international competition.
In the other Group B match, Lyle Foster earned South Africa a hard-fought 2–1 win over Angola.
Bafana Bafana ended a six-game winless run against Angola, who had won three and drawn three of their previous meetings since a World Cup qualifier in November 2015.
South Africa’s Oswin Appollis opened the scoring in Marrakech with a low strike inside the left post in the 21st minute. Angola equalised minutes later when midfielder Show deflected Fredy’s free kick from the wing inside the near post.
Tempers frayed after a foul by South Africa’s Aubrey Modiba before the break.
Tshepang Moremi thought he had scored a brilliant goal after half-time, but it was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Mbekezeli Mbokazi then struck the crossbar with a powerful effort as South Africa kept pushing.
Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle refreshed his attack by introducing Mabululu and Milson in the 76th minute, but it was Foster who struck at the other end, curling the ball beyond Hugo Marques’ outstretched arm in the 79th.
Earlier, Patson Daka scored in stoppage time for 2012 champions Zambia to snatch a 1–1 draw against Mali in Casablanca.
Mali dominated for long spells and missed a penalty before the break when Willard Mwanza saved El Bilal Touré’s effort — the second spot-kick to be saved in as many games at the tournament.
Lassine Sinayoko eventually broke the deadlock around the hour mark, but Daka had the final say, heading home to earn Zambia a point in Group A.
Host nation Morocco lead the group with three points after opening with a 2–0 win over Comoros on Sunday.(Francce24)
Nigeria set up a quarter-final showdown with Zambia at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 0-0 draw with Algeria secured the Super Falcons top spot in Group B.
The result in Casablanca also meant the North Africans progressed to the last eight, where they will face the second-placed finisher in Group C.
Elsewhere, Botswana came from behind to beat Tunisia 2-1 and boost their chances of going through as one of the two best-ranked third-placed sides.
Yesmin Khanchouch’s 12th-minute effort put the Carthage Eagles ahead before Lesego Radiakanyo equalised midway through the second half.
Both teams would have been eliminated by a 1-1 draw and it was Botswana who grabbed a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of stoppage time through Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse.
Sunday’s results mean defending champions South Africa and Mali are both assured of a place in the quarter-finals before Group C culminates on Monday (19:00 GMT).
Banyana Banyana face the West Africans in Oujda, while Ghana take on Tanzania in Berkane with both of those sides needing to win to progress.
Nigeria are chasing a record-extending 10th Wafcon title and topped Group B on seven points without conceding a goal.
Yet, as the West Africans turn their attention to their meeting with Zambia on Friday, questions will be raised about their attacking sharpness.
Super Falcons dominated possession against Algeria and created far more chances than their opponents, but were frustrated by a compact and resilient defence which was content to soak up pressure.
Rasheedat Ajibade and Jennifer Echegini offered the most threat from wide areas and midfield runs. Clear-cut chances were rare, and when they came Nigeria could not convert.
The match ended with Nigeria pressing for a late winner, with Echegini sending a curling effort just wide in the 89th minute.
For Algeria, the draw marked a milestone performance as they reach the knockout stages at a Wafcon finals for the first time.
Their progress has been built on a solid defence, having also progressed without conceding a goal.
Ghoutia Karchouni’s winner against Botswana was their only goal of the group stage but has proved enough to extend their stay in Morocco until their quarter-final tie next Saturday. (BBC)
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