South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has firmly dismissed suggestions that his country will host the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, insisting Morocco retains its position as the designated host for the tournament set to begin on March 17.
McKenzie issued a statement on Monday clarifying the position after Deputy Minister of Sport, Peace Mabe, indicated at the Hollywoodbets Super League awards ceremony on Sunday that South Africa had stepped in following Morocco’s alleged withdrawal just five weeks before the kickoff. Mabe had declared, “When Morocco said: ‘We are not able to host,’ South Africa said: ‘Yes. We are available. We are going to take it,’” adding that the country was ready with infrastructure proven by recent events like the G20 summit. She expressed confidence, stating, “It cannot be debatable because we have just hosted a successful G20 where heads of states of different countries were here. It tells you that in terms of hospitality, we are ready as well. From tomorrow (Monday, Feb. 2), we will begin.”
In response, McKenzie emphasised that “no formal decision has been taken to relocate the tournament, and Morocco remains the official designated host of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.” He noted South Africa “has only indicated its willingness to support CAF if alternative hosting arrangements become necessary,” describing such discussions as “part of CAF’s routine contingency planning” ahead of major events. The minister outlined key requirements for any potential hosting, including formal approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), cabinet clearance, and confirmed readiness of venues and infrastructure.
CAF confirmed Morocco as host on October 17, 2024, marking the North African nation’s third straight edition and making it the first country to achieve this feat, after previously staging the event in 2022 and 2024. The 16th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, expanded from 12 to 16 teams in November 2025, will feature matches in Rabat, Casablanca, and Fez, with venues including Moulay El Hassan Stadium (22,000 capacity), Al Medina Stadium (18,000), Larbi Zaouli Stadium (20,000), and Fez Stadium (45,000). The final draw took place on January 15, 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, seeding teams based on FIFA rankings, with hosts Morocco in position A1 and defending champions Nigeria in C1.
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Morocco’s recent finals appearances underscore its prominence in women’s football on the continent, having finished as runners-up in the last two tournaments—losing 2-1 to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the 2022 final in Rabat and to Nigeria’s Super Falcons in 2024. Qualified teams include debutants Malawi and Cape Verde, alongside powerhouses like Nigeria (14 appearances, 10 titles), South Africa (14 appearances, 2022 champions), Ghana, Zambia, Algeria, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Egypt.
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, organised by CAF since 1991 as a biennial championship for African women’s national teams, has seen hosting duties rotate among select nations, with Nigeria, South Africa, and now Morocco each securing three editions. Nigeria hosted in 1998, 2002, and 2006, dominating early years with multiple titles; South Africa followed in 2000, 2004, and 2010; while Equatorial Guinea took over in 2008 and 2012 as the first non-Nigerian winners. Morocco’s consecutive stints since 2022 highlight growing investment in women’s football infrastructure across the continent, with the tournament now expanded to accommodate broader participation following qualifiers that wrapped up in late 2025.
Nigeria holds the record with 10 victories since the full-scale format began in 1998, including the 2024 title, while South Africa’s 2022 triumph marked it as only the third different winner alongside Equatorial Guinea. As preparations advance with fixtures already unveiled—such as Algeria vs. Senegal on March 17 in Casablanca—the focus remains on Morocco’s venues and CAF’s contingency protocols, with no activation of alternative plans reported to date.
