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Desiree Ellis, coach of Banyana Banyana, has voiced her approval of the updated schedule for the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). She believes these changes will give her players sufficient time to rest and recover during the tournament.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has recently released the official match schedule, complete with start times, for the 2026 WAFCON, which will be hosted in Morocco.
As part of the revised schedule, the tournament is now set to kick off on 26 July 2026, a day later than the originally planned start date of 25 July. As a result, South Africa will commence their title defense on the second day of the event instead of the first.
Another significant change is that Banyana Banyana will now be based in Casablanca rather than Rabat, as revealed after the tournament draw.
The 2026 edition will be the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 16 nations competing for the continental title for the very first time.
Ellis has embraced the new schedule, noting that the extended recovery time between matches indicates CAF’s dedication to player welfare.
“The updated match schedule gives us three days of rest between games rather than the previous two,” said Ellis.
“This change clearly demonstrates a focus on player wellbeing, especially given the hot conditions expected during the tournament. We commend CAF for this initiative and express our gratitude, as it will benefit all teams participating.”
Banyana Banyana, placed in Group B, will start their WAFCON 2026 campaign against Tanzania on Monday, 27 July, at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, where all their group-stage matches will take place.
They are scheduled to face Côte d’Ivoire four days later, followed by their final group stage match against Burkina Faso.
The tournament holds additional importance, as the top four semi-finalists will secure spots in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Ellis highlighted that the confirmation of fixtures allows the technical team to finalize their preparations as South Africa aims to defend its continental title and seek another world stage appearance.
“What’s thrilling is that we now have confirmed fixtures, which will enable us to meticulously plan for the competition. We are eager to start our preparations in earnest,” she remarked.
“This tournament is vital, and our objective remains unchanged. We aim to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil next year. With all details for the 2026 WAFCON now clarified, we will soon announce our plans, including the final squad for the tournament.”
