The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will determine the first four African teams to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, while two additional nations will have a second opportunity to reach the tournament through an intercontinental play-off, FIFA has announced.
In a qualification guide published on its website on Sunday, football’s world governing body said the continental championship, scheduled to take place from 26 July to 16 August 2026, would serve as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the expanded Women’s World Cup.
Sixteen teams will compete at the tournament: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
According to FIFA, the teams will be drawn into four groups of four, with the top two sides from each group progressing to the quarter-finals. The four semi-finalists will automatically secure places at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
“The CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will serve as FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers,” FIFA said.
“After a group stage with four groups of four, the top two teams of each group will qualify for the quarter-finals. All would remain in contention for qualification. They will contest play-off matches to determine the two African representatives at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Play four semi-finalists will qualify for Brazil 2027.”
FIFA added that the four teams eliminated at the quarter-final stage would remain in contention for qualification. They will contest play-off matches to determine the two African representatives at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament.
The intercontinental play-off competition will feature 10 nations comprising two teams each from Africa, Asia, Concacaf and South America, as well as one team apiece from Oceania and Europe.
Its opening phase will be held in November and December 2026, with the final phase scheduled for February 2027.
“The six teams will be drawn into three pathways, with a direct knockout match to determine the final three teams qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. Teams from the same confederation will not be permitted to be drawn in the same pathway,” FIFA said.
Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, will be aiming for a record 10th consecutive appearance at the Women’s World Cup, having featured at every edition since the inaugural tournament in 1991.
Ghana have qualified for the Women’s World Cup on three occasions, while Cameroon and South Africa have each made two appearances. Morocco, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea have all qualified once.
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be staged in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July, marking the first time the tournament will be hosted in South America.
