The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has increased the prize money for the winners of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from $1.1 million to $2 million.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the announcement on Wednesday during a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, saying the increase is part of the organisation’s efforts to continue growing and rewarding women’s football on the continent.
“We have increased the prize money for the winner by 100%,” Motsepe said. “When I became president, the winner of the Women’s competition got $200,000; then we got it to $1 million, and now it’s $2 million.”
The CAF president also revealed that the tournament’s overall prize fund has increased by 495%. He said that when he took office, the total prize money stood at $975,000, but now “it’s close to $6 million, and there is still a lot more we have to do.”
The 2026 WAFCON will also feature an expanded format, with the number of participating teams increasing from 12 to 16. The tournament is scheduled to kick off this Saturday in Morocco.
The competition will also serve as the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
