The dates for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) have yet to be determined. This is despite the fact that the qualifiers concluded in November of last year.
The 12 qualified teams include defending champions South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Zambia, Ghana, Tunisia, Mali, Algeria, Senegal, the DR Congo, Botswana, and Tanzania.
In 2022, the tournament ran from July 2 to July 23, but it will not be held during that same period this year to avoid a clash with the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will take place from July 25 to August 10.
The WAFCON has also not been included in Fifa’s 2024 international match calendar, leading to speculation that it may be canceled.
However, some enthusiasts believe it will be held in September, which CAF has yet to confirm.
What is CAF saying on the WAFCON ?
In a statement to the Guardian, CAF said it is trying to find a “winnable solution” to the problem.
“The Women’s Afcon was scheduled for June – but we have [the 2024 Paris] Olympics,” said spokesperson Luxolo September. “Secondly, the January 2024 window for women’s competitions wasn’t possible for Caf, for obvious reasons. Caf is currently engaging all involved stakeholders to find a winnable solution for this.”
Morocco, which will also host next year’s Men’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in June, is hosting this year’s Wafcon.
Should the tournament be postponed to next year, the North African country may host two major tournaments in a year.
Meanwhile, Zambia and Nigeria will represent Africa in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The two, who were both semifinalists at the 2022 WAFCON, defeated champions South Africa and runners-up Morocco 1-0 and 3-2 on aggregate to secure their spots in Paris for the Olympic Women’s Football Tournament.
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