Wafcon Expansion Provides Significant Opportunities – Chawinga

Introduction of More Teams

The expansion of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) has delivered a “significant boost” to teams that previously haven’t qualified for the finals, states Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga.

Earlier this month, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that the tournament will increase from 12 to 16 teams, starting with the upcoming event in Morocco.

Impact on Opportunities and Visibility

Chawinga, a 29-year-old forward for Lyon, who has played for clubs like Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan, expressed her views to BBC Sport Africa: “This change creates more opportunities and enhances visibility for both seasoned and emerging players.”

“This is an invaluable platform for those aspiring to make their mark in football. I am determined to lead the Malawi team to secure a place in the Wafcon competition.”

The Scorchers aim to reach their first-ever Wafcon tournament and recently played to a 0-0 draw against Angola in the first leg of their second qualifying round.

The winners of 11 qualifying match-ups will secure spots at the 2026 finals in Morocco. However, the draw for the qualifying tournament occurred before CAF’s announcement about the expanded team representation.

CAF has yet to clarify how the additional four spots will be allocated, as the 11 teams losing in the second round were initially slated for elimination.

The Gambia Awaits Its Chance

Similar to Malawi, The Gambia is yet to secure a spot in Wafcon. Sainey Mboge, a former youth international and participant in the Under-17 World Cup in 2012, noted the longstanding difficulties where only a select few countries consistently participated in the eight-team tournament from 1998 to 2018.

She explained that The Gambia had historically faced difficult matchups against dominant teams like Nigeria and Cameroon, leading to previous qualifications falling short. In 2018, they lost to Nigeria with a 7-0 aggregate score, while in 2022, they suffered a 10-1 defeat against Cameroon, which included an 8-0 loss in Yaounde.

“The competitive level is not balanced,” Mboge said. “When stronger teams are in the qualifying rounds, it can take a long time for other nations to get a chance.”

The Gambia is set to face Kenya in the second round of qualifiers, and the expansion gives Mboge optimism that her country may finally appear in Wafcon.

“We have a robust team as some players have gained experience abroad,” she said. “We can depend on this experience to have a genuine chance of qualifying.”

Enhanced Opportunities and Resources

Kerubo Momanyi, an executive member of the Football Kenya Federation, echoes the sentiment regarding the benefits of expansion for teams and its implications for women’s football on the continent.

“This comes at a pivotal moment as we strive to show women that their sport is valued equally to men’s,” she said to BBC Sport Africa.

“The larger format will drive more visibility, increase participation, and ensure more resources are funneled to participating teams.”

Kenya’s only previous appearance in Wafcon was in 2016, where they did not secure any points during the group stage.

Momanyi believes there is now a “greater chance of qualification” for their encounter with The Gambia.

“After this qualification round, there will be a third and final round where second-round losers will have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the final four,” she explained.

While the expansion is welcomed, Mboge cautioned about maintaining high standards during the finals.

“We hope the expanded tournament will prioritize quality, as it is essential for ongoing strong performances,” she stated. “Introducing teams that could face overwhelming defeats, like 10-0, would undermine the competition.”

“Wafcon is crucial for the growth of women’s football in Africa. This paves the way for increased involvement – a fantastic opportunity.”

CAF president Patrice Motsepe expressed his satisfaction with the advancements in women’s football in Africa, assuring that progress will continue to be a focus.

Wafcon 2026 Qualifying: Second Round Results and Upcoming Fixtures

Results:

• Namibia 2-4 Zambia
• Tanzania 2-0 Ethiopia
• DR Congo 1-1 South Africa
• Angola 0-0 Malawi
• Egypt 0-3 Ghana
• Algeria 2-1 Cameroon

Upcoming Fixtures:

• Burkina Faso vs. Togo (Friday)
• Benin vs. Nigeria (Friday)
• Kenya vs. The Gambia (Friday)
• Cape Verde vs. Mali (Friday)
• Senegal vs. Ivory Coast (Friday)

Second legs will be played from Sunday to Tuesday.