Arabic version: تتويج الكاميرون بكأس أمم أفريقيا للسيدات يبرز المشهد الأفريقي المتغير

According to BBC News, Cameroon became the fourth nation to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Malawi 3-0 in the 2026 final in Morocco. The Indomitable Lionesses joined Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa as champions, completing a tournament which had been postponed shortly before its originally scheduled March start.

The expanded 16-team format produced immediate consequences. Cameroon had been eliminated by Algeria during qualifying but entered the finals through their world ranking, then went on to lift the trophy. Ivory Coast also reached the tournament through their ranking, topping their group before a quarter-final defeat by Algeria. All four semi-finalists qualified for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup, with Malawi and Algeria set for their first appearances alongside Cameroon and Morocco.

Greater competitiveness was reflected in several results and the scoring rate. Tanzania defeated South Africa in the group stage despite a 65-place gap in the world rankings, while Malawi opened with a 3-2 win over 10-time champions Nigeria before reaching the final. Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga won the golden boot with five goals and two assists. There were 90 goals in 32 matches, an average of 2.81 per game, up from 2.54 at the 2024 edition.

Cameroon coach Valentine Nguele became the fifth female coach to lead a team to the title, having taken over in June. Nigeria, meanwhile, suffered their worst Wafcon performance and will miss the Women’s World Cup for the first time after losing their play-off 2-1 to South Africa. The finals also again faced sparse crowds outside Morocco matches, while lengthy video assistant referee checks drew criticism. No host or dates have been announced for the 2028 tournament, which must avoid the Los Angeles Olympics from 14 to 31 July.