The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will serve as the qualifying tournament for African teams seeking a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with four nations earning automatic qualification and two others advancing to an intercontinental play-off. FIFA disclosed this in a qualification guide……
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will serve as the qualifying tournament for African teams seeking a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with four nations earning automatic qualification and two others advancing to an intercontinental play-off.
FIFA disclosed this in a qualification guide published on its website on Sunday, confirming that the continental tournament, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 16, 2026, will determine Africa’s first representatives at the expanded Women’s World Cup.
A total of 16 countries will participate in the competition. They are 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 world football governing body said every team that reaches the semi-finals will automatically secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“The CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will serve as FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
“After a group stage with four groups of four, the top two teams of each group will qualify for the quarter-finals. All four semi-finalists will qualify for Brazil 2027,” FIFA said.
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FIFA added that the four teams eliminated in the quarter-finals would still have a route to the World Cup.
The losing quarter-finalists will compete in play-off matches to determine the two African teams that will progress to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament.
The intercontinental play-off competition will feature 10 teams, with two representatives each from Africa, Asia, Concacaf and South America, while Europe and Oceania will each have one representative.
FIFA said the first phase of the tournament will be played in November and December 2026, while the decisive stage is scheduled for February 2027.
“The six teams will be drawn into three paths, 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 stated.
Nine-time African champions Nigeria will be aiming to qualify for a record-extending 10th consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup, having featured in every edition since the inaugural tournament in 1991.
Ghana have appeared at three Women’s World Cups, while Cameroon and South Africa have each qualified twice. Morocco, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea have all featured once at the global showpiece.
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be staged in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, becoming the first edition of the tournament to be hosted in South America.
