The Super falcons of Nigeria have expressed dissatisfaction, following the decision to delay the 2026 women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) by the Consideration of African football (CAF) just days before the competition in Morocco.
The competition, which has been scheduled to take place from the 17th of March to the 3rd of April was postponed 12 days before kickoff. CAF announced on Thursday that the competition would now be played from 25th of July to the 16th of August 2026, citing “unforeseen circumstances” and the need to guarantee a successful tournament.
The tournament also serves as a qualification pattern to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Meanwhile Morocco was preparing to host the event for the third consecutive time.
Four times winner of WAFCON with Nigeria ,Oparanozie expressed strong disappointment at the repeated disruptions affecting women’s football on the continent. She noted that delays like this undermine the progress of the women’s tournament, pointing similar issues in 2020 during the pandemic.
According to BBC, she also questioned whether women’s competition receive the same level of priority as men’s tournaments, arguing that players often feel overlooked despite their commitment. To her, athletes had already intensified their preparations both physically and mentally.
Teams such as Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana had been actively preparing for the competition with friendly matches and training camps. The national team of Ghana had a training tour in the United Arab Emirates when the announcement was made .
