The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has been postponed just 12 days before it was scheduled to begin, with the Confederation of African Football pushing the tournament back to late July.
The competition had been set to kick off in Morocco on March 17, marking the third straight edition hosted by the North African nation.
Instead, CAF confirmed on Thursday that the tournament will now run from July 25 to August 16, citing “unforeseen circumstances “ behind the late decision.
Teams were already well into their final preparations, with flights booked and camps arranged in anticipation for March 17. But they must now wait until late July, six days after the Men’s World Cup Final on July 19.
The new dates also fall right in the middle of the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League Season in the U.S., which kicks off its second half in early July, meaning players will now have to juggle league commitments with international duty.
CAF said the change followed discussions with FIFA and other stakeholders, adding that preparations are still ongoing and expressing confidence the competition will still be a success.
This is not the first scheduling disruption attached to the tournament. The previous edition was itself delayed to avoid a clash with the Olympic Games.
CAF had initially moved this year’s competition to the summer window, in the same period as the men’s continental calendar, after traditionally staging it toward the end of the year.
The tournament, initially planned for 12 teams, has now been expanded to 16, with a few additional nations added even after qualification concluded.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria, the dominant force in the competition’s history with 10 titles from 13 editions, are due to defend the crown they claimed last year.
They, like the rest of the participants, must now reorganise for a summer tournament that nobody really saw coming.
