WAFCON 2026: Banyana Banyana set for expanded tournament as four more teams added

South Africa’s senior women’s national team, Banyana Banyana, will be part of a historic 16-team lineup at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026, following a major expansion announced by the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF).

CAF has officially increased the number of participating teams from 12 to 16, starting with the next edition scheduled for 17 March to 3 April 2026 in Morocco. The decision is part of CAF’s strategic plan to grow women’s football in Africa, enhance competitiveness, and increase global visibility.

CAF WAFCON 2026: How the Four Additional Teams Were Selected

With the qualification phase for WAFCON 2026 already completed under the previous 12-team format, CAF faced the challenge of fairly selecting four more nations to join the tournament. The Executive Committee resolved this by using the FIFA Women’s World Rankings as the basis.

The top four teams eliminated in the final round of WAFCON 2026 qualifiers were chosen to complete the expanded field:

• Cameroon (FIFA rank: 66)
• Côte d’Ivoire (71)
• Mali (79)
• Egypt (95)

These teams join the 12 nations that had already secured qualification, including South Africa, who will be looking to reclaim the title they won in 2022.

Confirmed Teams for TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON Morocco 2026

• South Africa (Banyana Banyana)
• Morocco (hosts)
• Nigeria
• Ghana
• Zambia
• Tanzania
• Malawi
• Algeria
• Burkina Faso
• Kenya
• Cape Verde
• Senegal
• Cameroon
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Mali
• Egypt

What This Means for Banyana Banyana

For Banyana Banyana, the expansion presents a broader competitive field and more opportunities to showcase their dominance in African women’s football. Head coach Desiree Ellis and her squad will be eager to build on their recent successes and secure qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil, for which WAFCON 2026 serves as the continental qualifier.

CAF’s decision is a boost for the women’s game, offering more nations a chance to compete at the highest level and helping to grow the sport across Africa.