With a purse of $3,475,000, the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off with a historic opening match as hosts Morocco take on Zambia in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides at the continental tournament.

Both nations impressed in the previous edition in 2022, also hosted by Morocco. The Atlas Lionesses reached the final for the first time, eventually finishing runners-up to South Africa, while Zambia’s Copper Queens claimed their first-ever bronze medal after edging Nigeria in the third-place playoff.

This clash brings together two of Africa’s rising forces in women’s football, with Morocco aiming to build on their breakthrough success on home soil, and Zambia seeking to continue their upward trajectory following their strong World Cup qualification and Olympic pedigree.

It will be Morocco’s third encounter with a Southern African opponent at WAFCON. In 2022, they defeated Botswana 2-1 in the quarterfinals before narrowly losing 2-1 to South Africa in the final. For Zambia, this marks their second meeting with a host nation at the tournament, having lost 2-0 to Namibia during the group stage in 2014.

Zambia will also be facing North African opposition for only the second time at WAFCON. Their first such meeting came in 2022, when they defeated Tunisia 1-0 in the group stage—a result that demonstrated their growing tactical maturity on the continental stage.

Morocco will enjoy familiar surroundings once again, playing all their group-stage matches in Rabat as they did in 2022. Their games will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, near the Rabat Olympic Stadium. Zambia, meanwhile, played only once in Rabat during the last tournament—a commanding 4-1 win over Togo at Stade Moulay Hassan—before playing the remainder of their matches in Casablanca.

Adding another intriguing layer to the fixture is the touchline reunion between the two head coaches. Morocco’s Jorge Vilda and Zambia’s Nora Häuptle previously faced off at the 2018 UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship, when Vilda’s Spain defeated Häuptle’s Switzerland 2-0 en route to winning the tournament.

With both teams boasting strong recent records and ambitious goals, this opening match promises to set the tone for an exciting WAFCON 2024.

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Zambia’s Copper Queens will kick off their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 campaign with a high-stakes opening match against tournament hosts Morocco, bringing history, form, and renewed ambition into what promises to be a thrilling curtain-raiser.

Appearing in their fourth consecutive WAFCON since debuting in 2014, Zambia’s rise has been steady and impressive.

After a winless outing in their first tournament, the Copper Queens have grown into genuine contenders, culminating in a historic third-place finish in 2022 when they edged Nigeria in the bronze-medal match.

Their opening match record (P3 W1 D1 L1) shows a team learning from each tournament, with their only Day 1 defeat coming in 2014 against Namibia. Since then, they’ve proven increasingly difficult to beat—unbeaten in six of their last seven WAFCON matches (W3 D3 L1), with their only loss in that stretch coming in the 2022 semi-finals to eventual champions South Africa.

Known for tight contests, Zambia’s most common results in WAFCON history are 1-0 and 1-1 scorelines, recorded three times each. However, they are also capable of explosive performances, notably their 5-0 demolition of Equatorial Guinea in 2018, where Mary Mwakapila made history by scoring and assisting in the same match—a first for a Zambian at WAFCON.

Leading the line for Zambia this year is star forward Barbara Banda, who missed the 2022 edition but returns in sensational form. Africa’s all-time top Olympic Games goal scorer (male or female), Banda announced her return with a hat-trick in the qualifiers against Angola. Alongside her, Racheal Kundananji—Zambia’s joint-record scorer at a single WAFCON (three goals in 2018)—matched that tally again during the 2024 qualifiers, underlining her enduring threat.

At the helm is head coach Nora Häuptle, making her WAFCON debut as Zambia’s first-ever female and foreign head coach. The Swiss tactician, who previously led Ghana’s women’s team, has brought new tactical discipline and belief to the Zambian camp, guiding them through a dominant qualification campaign that saw them thrash Angola 12-0 on aggregate.

With form, firepower, and fresh leadership on their side, Zambia will look to spoil Morocco’s home party and make a powerful statement in their opening fixture. For the Copper Queens, the journey toward continental glory begins now.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

As the 2024 edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off in Morocco, Nigeria’s Super Falcons have more than just their 10th continental title in sight—they are also in the running for significantly enhanced prize money.

The Confédération of African Football (CAF) has announced a 100% increase in the winner’s purse and a 45% overall boost in the total prize pool for the competition, reflecting its commitment to the growth of women’s football on the continent.

CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, said the decision aligns with the organisation’s broader goal of raising the standard and visibility of women’s football across Africa.

“CAF is continuing with its commitment to the development and growth of women’s football in Africa,” said Motsepe.

 “The 100% increase in the prize money for the winner of WAFCON Morocco 2024 and the 45% total increase in the prize money of the competition should contribute to improving the salaries of women football players, coaches, and other employees.”

Motsepe praised the rising quality and global competitiveness of African women’s football, adding: “We are excited about the substantial increase in the number of fans, broadcasting viewers, and sponsors for this year’s tournament. WAFCON Morocco 2024 is going to be enormously successful.”

According to the revised prize structure, participating teams stand to earn the following:

• Winner: $1,000,000
• Runner-up: $500,000
• Third place: $350,000
• Fourth place: $300,000
• Quarter-finalists (4 teams): $200,000 each
• Third in group stage: $150,000
• Fourth in group stage (3 teams): $125,000 each

Total prize money: $3,475,000

Nigeria’s Super Falcons, the most successful team in WAFCON history with nine titles from the previous 12 editions, are among the favourites in Morocco.

With this increase in prize money, the stakes are higher than ever—not just for glory, but for tangible rewards that could transform the future of women’s football in Nigeria and across the continent.

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