Morocco ready to host WAFCON any time – Government

Three weeks after the last-minute postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), the reasons behind the delay remain unclear, with a senior Moroccan government official insisting the country is ready to host the tournament “any time.”

Originally scheduled to kick off on 17 March, the competition will now take place from 25 July to 16 August.

“That was a decision made by the Confederation of African Football (Caf),” Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour told BBC Sport Africa.

“What I know is Morocco is always ready to host any competition, at any time, and we will be very proud and happy to do so — whether this month or in three months.”

Morocco has become a key hub for African football in recent years. The country is set to host WAFCON for a third consecutive time, having also staged the Women’s Champions League in 2022 and 2024, the Under-17 AFCON last year, the 2023 Under-23 AFCON, as well as multiple futsal tournaments.

It also hosted the most recent men’s Africa Cup of Nations, a final that ended in controversy when Senegal briefly walked off the pitch in protest over refereeing decisions late in the game in Rabat.

Although they returned to win 1–0 in extra time, that result was overturned last week by CAF’s independent appeal board following a complaint from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).

CAF’s disciplinary committee had initially dismissed the appeal and instead issued sanctions, including a five-match ban for Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw.

The FRMF, however, argued that those penalties did not “reflect the seriousness of the incidents,” fuelling speculation about Morocco’s stance on hosting WAFCON.

While BBC Sport Africa understands that a congested football calendar in Morocco may have contributed to the postponement, uncertainty has been compounded by CAF’s brief statement citing “unforeseen circumstances” and referencing consultations with partners, FIFA, and other stakeholders.