Only Morocco, of the WAFCON favourites, have avoided an early setback during their group stage campaign, with all of Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana falling to defeat in one of their fixtures so far.
Despite a dismal start to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), South Africa head into their final Group B game in Casablanca on Tuesday with reason to believe a win could be enough to see them through to the quarter-finals.
Having starred in last year's run to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, Banyana Banyana's Lebo Ramalepe is once again benefitted from being deployed on the wing, rather than at right-back, at this WAFCON.
19yo Adji Ndiaye's POTM performance wasn't enough to deny Morocco, as Algeria eased past Kenya 2-0.
Marie Manga scored Cameroon's winner over Ghana, while Mali defeated Cape Verde 3-2 in a thriller.
Nothing short of a win against Zambia on Saturday will do for Nigeria. Any other result could see them go down in infamy as the first Super Falcons team ever not to reach the semifinals of the Women's AFCON.
South Africa will go to their final Group B Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) game against Burkina Faso on August 4 with at least some chance of progressing to the quarter-finals after Friday's 2-2 Casablanca draw with Ivory Coast.
Zambia captain Barbra Banda has called for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations to receive more effective advertising and significantly greater global exposure, amidst empty stands in Morocco.
Nigeria open the defence of their Women's Africa Cup of Nations title against Malawi in Rabat on July 28, chasing a record-extending 11th continental crown at a tournament expanded to 16 teams for the first time.
After beginning their campaign with a shock 3-2 loss to Malawi, Nigeria will look to salvage their Women's Africa Cup of Nations title defence in Saturday's Group C Casablanca clash against Zambia.
South Africa will look to bounce back from a shock Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) defeat to Tanzania when they take on Ivory Coast in a tricky second Group B game in Casablanca on Friday.
Sanaa Mssoudy and Seynabou Mbengue were amongst the goals as Morocco and Senegal brought up wins at WAFCON 26.
Asisat Oshoala apologised to Nigerians after the Super Falcons opened the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations with a shock 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi.
Doris Boaduwaa and Marie Ngah Manga were amongst the goals as Ghana and Cameroon picked up wins.
When Ghana's women's national team boarded a flight for the United Arab Emirates on February 25 to take part in the exhibition Pink Ladies Cup, they expected a straightforward pre-WAFCON training camp. That was not to be.
Barbra Banda scored four -- including a 27-minute hat-trick -- as Zambia smashed Egypt 6-0 in their Women's Africa Cup of Nations opener in Rabat on Tuesday, to deliver an early statement of intent.
By losing to Malawi, the Super Falcons have put their chances of making it to the World Cup in jeopardy.
On Wednesday, Cape Verde face Ghana in Casablanca in their first ever match at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, completing another remarkable milestone for the country.
The Nigeria Football Federation and AFC Toronto have condemned the racist abuse suffered by Super Falcons striker Esther Okoronkwo after she shared footage and accusations of a theft in Morocco.
Before every Women's Africa Cup of Nations, predictions may change, the challengers may change, and even storylines may vary, but the one thing that has always remained constant is who the favourites are. Nigeria.
WAFCON 2026 has spent much of the year feeling like a tournament searching for its place in the calendar, rather than one of African football's flagship events.
Nigeria will begin their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title defence against debutants Malawi -- led by the Chawinga sisters -- on Tuesday in Rabat's Group C clash.
There have been many moments in Desiree Ellis' 10-year Banyana Banyana reign where her back has been against the wall, but none where the chips were down quite as badly as they are following Monday's 2-1 loss to Tanzania.
Going into their first ever Women's Africa Cup of Nations, star forward Temwa Chawinga has warned the rest of the field that while they may be seen as underdogs, they have no intention of playing like it.
Nigeria are intent, as always, on winning the Women's Africa Cup of Nations title, but for star forward Asisat Oshoala, lifting another trophy would represent only part of the tournament's success.
| Group A | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| Algeria | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
| Senegal | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| Kenya | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -7 | 0 |
| Group B | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
| Ivory Coast | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 4 |
| Burkina Faso | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 3 |
| Tanzania | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| South Africa | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| Group C | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
| Malawi | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| Nigeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Zambia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +5 | 3 |
| Egypt | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -8 | 0 |
| Group D | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
| Cameroon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 6 |
| Ghana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Mali | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
