The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers have come to an end, and Cameroon has failed to secure a spot in the competition for the second time in a row. Their downfall stems from their 3-1 loss against Algeria, which not only knocked them out of the WAFCON but also eliminated them from the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
This disqualification has raised concerns about the state of the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, a country that has participated in 13 editions of the WAFCON, with its best finish being runners-up on four occasions. However, their recent performances have been disappointing, with the team failing to live up to expectations.
Cameroon at the WAFCON Competition Over the Years:
Cameroon has a rich history in the WAFCON, having participated in the tournament since its start in 1991. The team’s best performances came in the early 2000s, when they finished as runners-up in 1991, 2004, 2014, and 2016. They have also finished in third place on two occasions and fourth place on four occasions.
Despite these successes, Cameroon’s recent performances have been very disappointing, with the team failing to qualify for the 2024 WAFCON and now the 2026 edition.
The recent failures question the current state of women’s football in the country, attributing it to poor management, lack of funding, and inadequate training. The Cameroon Football Federation is not left out, as it comes under criticism for its handling of the women’s team.
Unfortunately for the head coach of the National Women’s Football Team, Jean-Baptiste Bisseck, he has been sacked by FECAFOOT following the team’s failure to qualify for the WAFCON. His tenure as Lionesses coach was marked by disappointing results, like the disqualification for the 2024 WAFCON and Paris Olympic Games.
On the other hand, the 2026 WAFCON has 12 teams that have successfully qualified for the tournament. The competition features the host country, Morocco, with five appearances since its inception, Zambia (5 appearances), Tanzania (3), Malawi and Cape Verde, are participating for the first time and Burkina Faso and Kenya, are competing for the second time. Nigeria has made 16 appearances, closely followed by Ghana and South Africa with 14 appearances, and finally Algeria, which is going in for the seventh time. The competition will run from March 17 to April 3.
