The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed the postponement of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 to July 2025. The tournament, originally scheduled for this summer in Morocco, will now take place from July 5th to July 26th, 2025.

The Decision Behind the Postponement

This decision comes after CAF acknowledged the challenges of fitting the competition into a congested international match calendar. A key concern was avoiding a clash with the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where several African nations, including Nigeria, will be vying for gold.

“We are supposed to play this year, but we have teams engaged in the Olympics, so we have to find another date,” explained CAF President Patrice Motsepe. He highlighted the need to find a window that prioritizes player availability and avoids disruption to European club leagues where many African stars compete.

Mixed Reactions to the WAFCON Move

The postponement marks the first time WAFCON will be held outside its originally designated year. Twelve teams, including Nigeria and defending champions Banyana Banyana, have already qualified for the biennial tournament. Morocco will remain the host nation, staging the competition for the second consecutive time.

The move has drawn mixed reactions. South Africa’s coach, Desiree Ellis, previously expressed her disappointment at the potential delay, fearing a long wait for her team to defend their title. “If it (WAFCON) is postponed or cancelled, it will be a huge, huge disappointment,” Ellis told SABC Sport. She stated that it’s a bit disappointing that it’s not happening this year but it’s also great in the sense that it gives coaches and players more time to prepare. Ellis has urged the CAF to conduct the draw for the 2025 WAFCON as soon as possible so that countries can start with their plans and preparations.

Prioritizing Player Availability for a High-Quality Tournament

Despite the disappointing and unexpected postponement of the tournament, it can also be seen as a positive step. By ensuring a clear window and avoiding player fatigue from clashing tournaments, CAF hopes to deliver a high-quality WAFCON with the continent’s best players on display.