WAFCON 2026: How CAF Squeezed 4 Eliminated Teams into Finals

Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Mali are set to complete the expanded 16-team line-up for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). 

Their inclusion comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) controversially utilized FIFA's world rankings to fill the remaining four slots, a decision that has sparked both relief and debate across the continent. 

The decision by CAF meant a departure from potential play-offs, which had been hoped for by teams eliminated in the second and final qualifying round.

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Instead of giving those sides another chance on the pitch, CAF opted for a more immediate solution, leveraging existing global standings to determine the qualifiers.

Reigning champions Nigeria were among the eleven nations that had already secured their berths in the second qualifying round last month. Their qualification, alongside other strong contenders, set the stage for what many anticipated would be a fiercely contested final few spots.

 However, CAF's mid-preliminary rule change shifted the goalposts, offering a lifeline to some of the continent's respectable footballing nations.

The beneficiaries of this ranking-based system are Cameroon (ranked 66th globally), Ivory Coast (71st), Mali (79th), and Egypt (95th). These four nations, all having lost out in the second qualifying round, now find themselves with a renewed opportunity to compete on Africa's biggest women's football stage.

 Mali, who were quarter-finalists at the delayed 2024 edition, will be looking to build on recent performances.

Three-time runners-up Cameroon, a historical powerhouse in African women's football, will make their comeback after not featuring since 2022, eager to reassert their dominance. 

Ivory Coast and Egypt are set for an even longer-awaited return, participating for the first time since 2014 and 2016 respectively, highlighting the fluctuating landscape of women's football in the region.

While the teams are now confirmed, CAF has yet to announce the official dates for the tournament.

However, world governing body FIFA has previously indicated a window between March 17 and April 3, 2027, for the event.

A date for the highly anticipated draw is also pending confirmation from Caf. 

The stakes will be incredibly high, as the four semi-finalists at next year's finals will directly qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup.

Additionally, the losing quarter-finalists will have a second chance, playing off for two spots at an inter-confederation qualifier, underscoring the importance of WAFCON 2026 for African nations with global aspirations.