WAFCON to have 16 teams participating in 2026 after official announcement by the Confederation of African Football.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has declared that beginning with the 2026 edition, the Wafcon finals will feature 16 teams instead of just 12.
Twelve teams were expected to compete in the event in Morocco the following year, and qualifying for the finals had already advanced to the second and final round.
There will probably need to be a third round of preliminary competition for the expansion, with 11 more countries vying for four slots.
Following talks at its executive committee meeting in Kinshasa, Caf is anticipated to make additional announcements.
From its inaugural edition in 1998 until the 2018 finals in Ghana, Wafcon was an eight-team competition.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Wafcon was cancelled; however, in 2022, the competition was reinstated with 12 teams.
Caf has made investments to boost women’s football throughout the continent; the total prize fund for this year’s tournament in Morocco has increased by 45% to $3.45 million (£2.6 million).
Champions Nigeria won a record-breaking 10th Wafcon title and were given $1 million (£750,000).
“I am pleased with the progress we’ve made in women’s African football,” Caf president Patrice Motsepe said.
“Part of my starting point is making sure [men and women] are paid well and they can make a career out of football.
“I can assure you women’s football will continue to improve because that is an area we are focussing on a lot.”