South Africa is gearing up to step in and host the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after Morocco pulled out, with the tournament kicking off in just about 60 days.
Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe shared the news, saying South Africa jumped at the chance because they’ve got the stadiums, infrastructure, and experience ready to go. She pointed to how smoothly they handled big events like the recent G20 summit in Johannesburg and even brought up their history of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup as proof they’re more than capable.
“When Morocco said they weren’t able to host anymore, we said yes, we’re available and ready,” Mabe explained in an interview with SABC Sport. She added that preparations would start right away, and they’re not too worried about the tight timeline since everything’s already in place for hospitality, security, and venues.
The tournament is set to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026, and it’s a big deal not just for women’s football in Africa, but also as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Morocco had been lined up to host for the third time in a row (after 2022 and 2024), but the reason for their withdrawal hasn’t been officially explained yet. Some reports tie it to recent tensions or controversies from the men’s AFCON final, though nothing’s confirmed.
There’s a bit of back-and-forth on the official status. South Africa’s sports ministry later clarified that no final decision from CAF has been made to switch hosts, and Morocco is still the designated one for now. But Mabe’s announcement has a lot of buzz going, and South Africa has offered to step up if needed.
It could shake up local schedules too, with the Betway Premiership in full swing, details on how matches might shift are still unclear.
This is exciting news for Banyana Banyana and fans, as playing at home could give the team a real boost.