The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2026 edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco just two weeks before the tournament was scheduled to begin, citing “certain unforeseen circumstances.”

The competition was originally billed to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026. However, CAF announced on Wednesday that the tournament will now take place from July 25 to August 16, 2026.

CAF said the new schedule places the continental women’s football showpiece shortly after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico.

According to the African football governing body, the decision followed consultations with key partners, including FIFA, as well as other stakeholders to ensure the successful organisation of the tournament.

Despite the abrupt change in schedule, CAF assured that preparations for the competition remain on course and expressed confidence that Morocco will successfully stage the event.

The continental body had awarded the hosting rights for the 2026 tournament to Morocco in October 2024.

The biennial competition will feature 16 national teams from across the continent battling for the African women’s football title, with matches expected to draw global attention to the rapidly growing women’s game in Africa.

The postponement comes as teams and organisers had already intensified preparations ahead of the originally scheduled kickoff, making the sudden change one of the most significant scheduling adjustments for the tournament in recent years.