Nigeria’s Super Falcons will discover their group opponents for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Thursday, January 15, when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducts the final draw in Rabat, Morocco.
The ceremony, scheduled for 2:00 pm local time (1:00 pm GMT), will also feature the announcement of the remaining winners in the CAF Awards 2025 women’s categories, including the prestigious CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award.
Read Also: 2025 AFCON: Former Captain Troost-Ekong Goes Emotional, “Seeing Super Eagles Play With Hunger and Passion Is Special”
The TotalEnergies CAF Women’s AFCON Morocco 2026 will be a landmark edition, becoming the first in the tournament’s history to feature an expanded 16-team format.
Hosts Morocco will welcome Africa’s top women’s national teams, including nine-time champions Nigeria, as the competition enters a new era.
The qualified nations for the tournament are Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
Beyond the draw, Nigerian interest will also centre on Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu, who is shortlisted for the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award.
Madugu’s nomination follows Nigeria’s triumphant 2024 WAFCON campaign, a feat that has positioned him as one of the leading contenders for the honour.
The delayed conclusion of the CAF Women’s Champions League postponed the announcement of the award, placing Madugu in contention alongside some of the continent’s most respected coaches, including Desiree Ellis (South Africa), Jorge Vilda (Morocco) and Lars Kim (Ghana), among others.
In addition to the Coach of the Year accolade, CAF will also unveil the winners of the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year and Women’s Club of the Year awards. CAF had earlier reopened voting for these categories after their presentation was deferred due to the extended women’s club season.
As anticipation builds, January 15 stands out as a defining moment for Nigerian women’s football — a day that will shape the Super Falcons’ WAFCON 2026 campaign and determine Justin Madugu’s fate on the continental awards stage.
