WAFCON
WAFCON 2024: Zambia Coach Häuptle Admits Nigeria’s Superiority After Crushing 5-0 Defeat
Zambian publication Bola News has reported a candid and emotional post-match reaction from Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle following her team’s 5-0 thrashing by Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Friday in Casablanca.
Speaking at the press conference after the match, Häuptle acknowledged Nigeria’s superiority and congratulated the Super Falcons on their emphatic victory.
“Very clear loss for us. Congratulations to Nigeria for the well-deserved victory. I think today we need to accept that Nigeria was better than us,” she said. “None of us has been on top—neither the players nor me as coach. It was a collective loss.”
Bola News highlighted that the Swiss-born tactician pointed to the significant gap in international exposure between both sides, noting Nigeria’s deep bench of foreign-based players as a key factor in their dominance.
“In the Nigerian squad, you see almost everyone plays abroad—either in France or America. They have much more players abroad. Nigeria is a country with about 200 million people, and Zambia has just 20 million. We don’t have so much talent,” she lamented.
She added that while Zambia currently has around nine or ten players abroad, the majority of her squad still play in the domestic league and are not yet physically or tactically on par with elite-level teams.
“We’ve seen that physically, we’re not on the same level. We need to go back and find ways for our players to go abroad earlier and develop.”
Häuptle’s earlier pre-match comments that Zambia were “coming to hunt” were referenced by Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade as a source of motivation. But despite the backlash and the heavy defeat, the coach stood by her words and remained focused on Zambia’s long-term vision.
“We said we were going to hunt. Nigeria are several-time winners, but we are on a growth path and development journey. We will also hunt in the next tournament. We are hungry and will continue to improve. We don’t care much what others say,” she insisted.
While the Super Falcons move on to face the winner of Saturday’s clash between South Africa and Senegal in the semifinals, Zambia will shift their attention to the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers, where they will face Namibia in a home-and-away tie this October. The qualifiers will also serve as a pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, hosts Morocco have also advanced to the semifinals after a 3-1 win over Mali. The Atlas Lionesses will now face the winner of the Ghana vs Algeria match as they aim for back-to-back WAFCON final appearances, having finished as runners-up in 2022.
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By Kunle Solaja.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has been postponed, with Africa’s football governing body announcing new dates for the tournament in Morocco.
The Confederation of African Football confirmed that the 2026 edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will now take place from 25 July to 16 August 2026, instead of the earlier scheduled dates of 17 March to 3 April 2026.
Morocco was awarded the hosting rights for the continental showpiece in October 2024, with preparations already underway for what is expected to be one of the biggest editions of the competition. It doubles as the qualification tournament for the Women’s World Cup, as the top four finishers will feature in the global event.
CAF said the decision to move the tournament followed consultations with FIFA and other key stakeholders.
In a statement, CAF explained that the adjustment was made “to ensure the success of this important women’s competition, in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances.”
Although the organisation did not elaborate on the nature of those circumstances, the rescheduling shifts the tournament to the traditional mid-year international football window, which is often more favourable for player availability and logistics.
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is the continent’s flagship women’s football competition and serves as a crucial platform for the development and visibility of the women’s game in Africa.
Morocco, which successfully hosted the 2022 edition of the tournament, is expected to leverage its modern stadium infrastructure and growing reputation as a major football events destination to deliver another high-profile competition.
CAF expressed confidence that the revised schedule will allow all stakeholders to adequately prepare for the tournament.
“Preparations for the WAFCON 2026 are underway, and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful,” the governing body stated.
The tournament will bring together Africa’s top women’s national teams competing for continental supremacy, with the rescheduling expected to give organisers additional time to ensure optimal preparations for the event.
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The Confederation of African Football has announced that it will issue an official communication within the next 48 hours regarding the situation surrounding the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026.
In a brief message posted on social media, CAF indicated that the matter has been under extensive discussion in recent weeks and is currently receiving urgent attention at the highest levels of the organisation.
“CAF will communicate within the next 48 hours on the situation regarding the #TotalEnergiesWAFCON26. There have been several discussions over the past weeks. The matter is receiving urgent and high-level attention,” the confederation stated.
Although CAF did not provide specific details about the issue under review, the statement suggests that senior officials within the continental governing body are working toward a resolution.
The development has sparked anticipation across the African football community, particularly among national teams preparing for the women’s continental championship.
The Confederation of African Football is expected to clarify the circumstances and outline the next steps for the tournament when it releases its official update within the stipulated timeframe.
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Reigning African champions Nigeria produced a commanding response, defeating Cameroon 3–1 on Tuesday in the second of their pre-WAFCON international friendlies in Yaounde.
Three days after suffering a narrow 1–0 loss at the Military Stadium, the Super Falcons returned to the same venue. They delivered a far more assured performance, underlining their pedigree as perennial continental powerhouses.
Head Coach Justin Madugu rang the changes, making seven alterations to the starting line-up that featured in Saturday’s defeat. However, it was Cameroon who struck first again, netting in the seventh minute to momentarily raise concerns of a repeat setback.
Nigeria responded with composure and growing authority.
Forward Chinwendu Ihezuo restored parity in the 32nd minute, rising above her marker to power home a header from a well-delivered cross by Rinsola Babajide. The equaliser settled the Falcons, who began to dictate tempo and press with greater coordination.
Just before the break, the comeback was completed. After a scramble inside the Cameroonian box, Babajide reacted quickest to fire home in the 43rd minute, turning provider into scorer to give Nigeria a 2–1 lead at halftime.
Madugu’s reshaped midfield proved decisive, pressing higher up the pitch, shutting down central channels and forcing the Lionesses into speculative long balls.
The Falcons extended their advantage in the 64th minute. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, influential down the right flank, delivered a teasing cross into the penalty area. Michelle Alozie attacked the ball with conviction, launching into a flying header that made it 3–1 and effectively sealed the contest.
Both sides treated the two-match series as crucial preparation for the 14th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to take place in Morocco from March 17 to April 3.
For Nigeria, the emphatic victory not only avenged Saturday’s defeat but also reaffirmed their status as Africa’s benchmark in women’s football heading into the continental showpiece.
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