The reigning African champions, Banyana Banyana, have taken a significant step towards defending their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) crown. In an impressive turn of events, they have clinched a spot in the quarterfinals without even kicking a ball in their final group stage fixture.
This early qualification means that South Africa and Mali are now confirmed to advance from Group C, joining powerhouses such as Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, and Zambia in the knockout stages.
Their progression was sealed after Group A's matches wrapped up on Saturday, 12th July. Host nation Morocco earned a 1-0 win against Senegal, and Zambia also secured a 1-0 victory over DR Congo. These results saw Morocco top Group A with seven points, with Zambia finishing second on the same points tally. Senegal ended up in third place with three points, while DR Congo was eliminated from the competition.
HOW BANYANA SEALED QUARTERS BERTH BEFORE THIRD GROUP STAGE MATCH
Banyana Banyana currently boasts four points in Group C, matching Mali's total. This mathematical certainty confirms that the reigning champions cannot drop below second place, thus automatically ensuring that both they and Mali will move forward as the top two teams from their group.
The decisive match between these two qualified nations, which will determine the group winner, is set for Monday night, 14th June, at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco.
With most of the quarterfinalists decided, only two slots remain open. These highly anticipated spots will be contested among three teams: Senegal (from Group A), Tanzania (from Group C), and Tunisia (from Group B).
Tanzania is scheduled to face Ghana, and Tunisia will square off against Botswana. Senegal, having completed their matches, will be on tenterhooks, unable to influence their three-point tally further.
Group B will provide the next set of answers, with matches scheduled for Sunday night, 13th July 2025, including a crucial encounter between Nigeria and Algeria, alongside Tunisia's game against the already eliminated Botswana.
Nigeria currently leads Group B with six points, followed by Algeria with four, Tunisia with one, and Botswana yet to secure any points. With the stage almost set, football fans can anticipate thrilling quarterfinal clashes, with Nigeria vs. Zambia already confirmed to be one of the blockbuster fixtures.
