The Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco has been postponed again, just 12 days before its scheduled start, prompting fierce criticism from players, coaches, and officials. The Confederation of African Football (Caf) announced on 5 March that the tournament, originally set for 17 March to 4 April, would now take place from 25 July to 16 August 2026, citing 'unforeseen circumstances'. This follows a previous 19-month delay from 2024 to July 2025.
South Africa coach Desiree Ellis questioned whether such treatment would befall the men's game, while an anonymous Nigeria Football Federation executive accused Caf of 'so much disrespect' towards players. Nigeria's Rinsola Babajide called the situation 'embarrassing'. Teams like Nigeria, Cameroon, and Ghana had already played friendlies to prepare, with Nigeria's buildup now 'squandered', according to the NFF source.
Ghana's Black Queens faced additional trauma, caught in the Middle East conflict while at a tournament in the UAE. Coach Kim Björkgren described the experience as 'frightening', with players hearing bombs at night. He expressed deep disappointment at the postponement after long planning.
Journalists have also suffered financial losses. Firdose Moonda, a Guardian contributor, had to buy a new ticket home from Morocco, with flight prices more than double. South Africa's sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, urged Caf to compensate affected media. McKenzie also suggested Morocco may have deliberately caused the hosting crisis to embarrass Caf president Patrice Motsepe, and offered South Africa as an alternative host. The Moroccan football federation declined to comment.
