Latest news with #Women'sAFCON
CAF
04-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Women's AFCON 2024: A fiery 13th edition in Morocco
The 13th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which starts on 5 July in Morocco, promises to be one of the most spectacular in history. At home, the Atlas Lionesses are dreaming of revenge, two years after a final lost in apotheosis. On the other hand, South Africa will defend its crown with the determination of a champion now expected at every turn. The nine-time Super Falcons of Nigeria intend to regain their throne. And around this historic trio, a pack of ambitious and seasoned teams, ready to shake up the established order. No more teams arrive in anonymity: this Women's AFCON will not have any rookies. It is time for collective maturity and assertive ambitions. Gentlemen, women, the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024 is tomorrow. South Africa, a crown to be preserved In Rabat, in July 2022, the Banyana Banyana ended a wait of nearly two decades. Runners-up four times, they finally lifted the continental trophy thanks to a close-knit team and exemplary tactical discipline. Desiree Ellis, their coach, has been made a national icon, and players such as Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Andile Dlamini have won hearts. But to come back as a champion means accepting new pressure. All nations will want to bring down the reigning queen. South Africa is aware of this, and will have to deal with a partly renewed group, between the experience of the managers and the integration of young talents. His AFCON will be scrutinized, his slightest flaw exploited. Morocco, a revenge at home In 2022, the Moroccans made history by reaching the final, a first for a North African country. Ghizlane Chebbak, voted best player of the tournament, and her teammates had seduced with their attacking game and their ability to handle the pressure of the public. Prince Moulay Abdellah had sold out on several occasions, with a peak of 50,000 spectators in the final – an unprecedented number. Two years later, Morocco wants to transform the trial. The country has consolidated its foundations: the professionalisation of the championship, the regularity of clubs in interclub competitions and the emergence of new players. With the support of its public, the selection led by Jorge Vilda, 2023 world champion with Spain, is clearly aiming for the title. A second final in a row would no longer be enough. Nigeria, a mission to be accomplished Mission X is launched! Shaken up in the group stage in 2022, then eliminated in the semi-finals by Morocco on penalties (1-1, 5-4), they left the tournament on a bitter note. This AFCON 2024 is an opportunity for them to set the record straight. Nine-time champions, the Nigerians have never gone without a title. Pride, tradition and talent plead for a return to the top. And this Nigeria still has arguments: Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal, Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne in midfield, or the insatiable Asisat Oshoala in attack. Under the leadership of Justin Madugu, the band wants to prove that it has learned from its mistakes. More seasoned, hungrier nations This 2024 edition will be the first without a debutant team. No surprise guests, no novice selections. Each nation present has already participated in a WAFCON, and intends to no longer play extras. DR Congo is back after a 13-year absence, with a young and powerful group counting on Merveille Kanjinga. Zambia, semi-finalists in 2022, and present at the last World Cup, is carried by a golden generation led by Barbra Banda. Botswana, the revelation of the previous tournament, arrives with experience and a strong sense of play with Alex Malete at the helm. Senegal, qualified for the second time in a row, wants to reach the quarter-finals. Tunisia, solid in qualifying, dreams of a first semi-final. Algeria and Mali, two great football nations, are back with more means and ambition. Ghana, absent in 2022, has only one objective: to regain its place among the greats. And Tanzania, representing CECAFA, has proven that it is no longer afraid of anyone.
CAF
02-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
D-3 to the Women's AFCON: 1998, the Super Falcons' Unbeaten Run
Published: Wednesday, 02 July 2025 The countdown continues to the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024. As we gear up for the 13th edition of the tournament, looks back each day at a defining moment in its history. With just three days to go, we revisit one of the rarest and most impressive feats: Nigeria's flawless 1998 triumph—without conceding a single goal. Only 3 days remain before the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2024 kicks off. Hosted in Nigeria, the fourth edition of the Women's AFCON remains one of the most one-sided in the tournament's history. The Super Falcons, led by iconic figures such as Florence Omagbemi, Nkiru Okosieme and Ann Chiejine, asserted their dominance from start to finish. Nigeria opened the tournament with a resounding 8-0 win over Morocco, followed by another commanding 6-0 victory against DR Congo, and a similar 6-0 scoreline against Egypt. Three matches, twenty goals scored, none conceded. The statement continued in the semi-finals with a 6-0 win over Cameroon, before Nigeria wrapped up their campaign with a composed 2-0 triumph over Ghana in the final. 'We were on a mission. Playing at home came with pressure, but also motivation. We wanted to show that no one could match us on the continent,' Florence Omagbemi later told the BBC. Nigeria secured their fourth consecutive title in as many editions. But it was the how that stood out: five matches, zero goals conceded. A rare defensive solidity, paired with an unstoppable attacking force, cemented that squad's place among the most dominant in the history of the Women's AFCON. The 1998 tournament also reinforced Nigeria's football identity: fast, powerful play, built around a tight-knit unit and individual talents capable of changing a match in a flash. It paved the way for future generations ready to carry on the legacy of the trailblazers. With three days to go until the 2024 edition kicks off in Morocco, this memory is a reminder of the demands of elite performance—and of a legacy built on consistency, discipline, and ambition. The Super Falcons remain the benchmark on the continent, but the competition is growing. The stage is nearly set.
Morocco World
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
CAF Drops New Slogan for Women's AFCON 2024 in Morocco
The Confederation of African Football has unveiled the official slogan for the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. 'Born Winners' is the tagline, and it's all about pride and power. The slogan celebrates the fierce, trailblazing women who are rewriting African football – not just on the pitch, but in every corner of the game from players, coaches, fans, to referees and media. CAF says Born Winners is a statement, a nod to African women's resilience, grit, and the refusal to be sidelined in sport or in society. 'From the streets of Dakar to the stadiums of Johannesburg,' the campaign declares, African women are 'rising, relentlessly and fearlessly,' wrote CAF. The 2024 Women's AFCON, sponsored by TotalEnergies, promises to celebrate not just footballing talent but a movement of legacy, ambition, and change. The slogan hammers home three pillars: Resilience to rise even when the odds say otherwise, ambition to strive to smash ceilings on and off the pitch, and leaving a legacy behind not just by winning more medals but also by changing lives. The 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, running this month from July 5 to 26, marks Morocco's second straight time hosting the Women's AFCON, with the 2026 edition already in the bag. King Mohammed VI is personally invested in uplifting women's football. The ambition is to build on the momentum of 2022, when the Atlas Lionesses reached the final ahead of a massive 50,000-strong crowd at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Clubs like FUS Rabat and AS FAR are spearheading the shift. FUS Rabat's coach Mehdi El Qaichouri told the BBC that he believes this tournament could ignite a new wave of interest among young Moroccan girls, encouraging them to take football seriously and chase the dream of professional play – or even earning a national team call‑up. AS FAR might still dominate domestically, but competition is heating up. Across the board, more clubs are establishing women's sections, reflecting a larger national strategy that Morocco has put in place to steadily transform its women's game and lay a foundation that could influence football across Africa. 'It is the will of the club, the whole country and His Majesty the King to develop women's football in Morocco,' he added in the BBC interview. 'The project is quite fresh, and the desire is there. That's a big strength.' Tags: afconWAFCON MoroccoWomen's AFCON
Morocco World
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
CAF to Unveil New Women's AFCON Trophy
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will officially unveil the new trophy for the Women's AFCON on Wednesday, July 2. In a statement, CAF confirmed the launch event will be streamed live across its official Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts from midday. A promotional ceremony, in partnership with the tournament's main sponsor, will follow later in the evening. The initiative forms part of CAF president Patrice Motsepe's wider strategy to elevate the status of women's football across the continent, both in terms of marketing and symbolism. The 2025 Women's AFCON kicks off this Saturday, July 5, at the new Olympic Stadium in Rabat, with hosts Morocco facing Zambia in the opening fixture of Group A. Head coach Jorge Vilda has announced his final 26-player squad, with a blend of local talent and overseas experience. Captain Ghizlane Chebbak (Levante), goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi, and forward Fatima Tagnaout (both AS FAR) lead the charge. Vilda, who famously led Spain to World Cup glory in 2023, has been full of praise for his squad. 'The players arrive totally committed. They make things easy,' he told CAFOnline. 'We've worked hard, and we're ready.' His side warmed up with wins over Cape Verde (1-0) and Malawi (4-1), and will now face Zambia, Senegal, and DR Congo in what Vilda reckons is the tournament's toughest group. 'Zambia have improved a lot. We've met them before. They're no pushovers,' he said. 'But hosting is not a pressure. It's a privilege.' The message to fans? 'We won't disappoint. These players will fight for everything, every ball, every moment.' Twelve teams are in the running for the Women's AFCON this year, split across three groups. Group B sees Nigeria take on Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana. In Group C, it's South Africa, Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania. Tags: MoroccoWomen's AFCON
CAF
29-06-2025
- Sport
- CAF
6 Days to Go Until the Women's AFCON: Perpetua Nkwocha, the Queen of Johannesburg
Published: Sunday, 29 June 2025 The countdown is on for the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024. With just six days to go, we look back at one of the most iconic moments in the tournament's history: Perpetua Nkwocha's four-goal performance in the 2004 final against Cameroon (5-0), held in South Africa. Only 6 days before the Women's Africa Cup of Nations kicks off On October 3, 2004, in Johannesburg, African women's football witnessed a defining moment. In the final of the Women's AFCON, Perpetua Nkwocha delivered a sensational performance, scoring four goals against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon. That day, the Nigerian star didn't just shine — she ruled. That South African tournament came amid Nigeria's already well-established dominance — the Super Falcons were three-time African champions heading into the edition. But 2004 marked a turning point: the coming of age of a generation led by a player like no other. Fast, accurate, and always in the right place, Nkwocha soared through the tournament, delivering standout performances. In the final, against an ambitious Cameroonian side, she imposed her will. She opened the scoring early, calmly added a second, and went on to complete her haul with two more goals. On her own, she dismantled the opposing defence and led the Super Falcons to their fourth continental title. With this historic four-goal haul, Perpetua Nkwocha became the first — and still the only — player to score four goals in a Women's AFCON final. A remarkable achievement that remains etched in the annals of African football. And there's more. Across the tournament, she finished as top scorer with nine goals in five matches. Her impact was so great that she was rightly crowned CAF African Women's Player of the Year in 2004. She would go on to win the award again in 2005, 2010, and 2011 — further cementing her legendary status. Twenty years later, her four-goal performance is still a benchmark. It embodies the excellence, clinical finishing, and leadership of an African football icon. As the focus now shifts to Morocco for the 2024 edition, Nkwocha's legacy reminds every player of what greatness demands: talent, of course, but also courage, consistency, and a sharp sense of timing. With just 6 days to go, Nkwocha's memory continues to inspire. The 2024 Women's AFCON promises to be the stage for a new generation of stars. Who will be the next to leave their mark on history?
