This week on The IX Sports Podcast Soccer Edition, Kathleen Gier is joined by two special guests to break down the upcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, or WAFCON.
Jacob Mitchell and Kofi, of the B Team Podcast, joined Gier to discuss the competitors.
The tournament will run July 26 through Aug. 16, and for the first time ever, features 16 teams. Morocco is hosting the tournament, which begins with a group stage before moving into knockout rounds.
The tournament is especially important because it is a World Cup qualifying event. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, and then the four semifinalists automatically qualify for the World Cup. The fifth team will play in an intercontinental playoff.
The four groups for the group phase of the competition are as follows:
Group A: Algeria, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal
Group B: Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Tanzania
Group C: Egypt, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia
Group D is Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mali.
Understanding each team’s chances
Group C is the most dangerous group, Gier, Kofi and Mitchell agreed. Nigeria is a perennial favorite in African football. But over in Group D, this could be the year Ghana breaks out, Mitchell said.
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“They’ve been the runner-ups at WAFCON three times, and if ever they were going to break through, it’s going to be this year. They’re the favorites to make it out of that group, and they’ve got a lot of really talented players on their roster. So making it out of the group, it’s it’s not going to be easy by any means. But they should have a genuine shot, and they might go on to topple Nigeria if they make it that far,” Mitchell said.
Other teams to watch out for? Kofi said Mali, with the Boston Legacy’s Aissata Traoré, could be one to watch.
Mitchell said Cameroon is another talented team. Goalie Michaely Bihina is young, but extremely talented, with strong showings in the Portuguese league.
“This tournament, I think, could be a coming out party for her, if Cameroon is able to beat Mali for second in the group,” Mitchell said.
Be sure to tune in to the episode to hear more takes about the upcoming tournament and its World Cup implications!
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