By Lebone Rodah Mosima
CAF has doubled the prize money for the winners of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) to $2 million and increased the tournament’s total purse by 67% to $5.8 million, the African football governing body has said.
The runners-up will receive $750,000, an increase of 50%, while the prize money awarded to the team finishing third has been raised by 43%, the Confederation of African Football said in a statement issued on July 23.
Each of the 16 participating women’s national teams will also receive $150,000 in participation funding, up 20% from the $125,000 paid at the previous edition of the tournament.
CAF said the prize money awarded to the WAFCON champions had increased by 900% from $200,000 since the current leadership took office, while the tournament’s total prize pool had risen by 495% from $975,000.
The number of teams competing in the continental women’s tournament has also doubled from eight to 16.
FIFA World Cup
The announcement formed part of a CAF update that included an assessment of African teams’ performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the bidding process for future tournaments.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said he was proud of the performances of the 10 African teams that competed at the expanded 48-team World Cup.
Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia represented Africa at the tournament.
Nine of the 10 African teams progressed from the group stage to the Round of 32, the highest percentage recorded by the continent in the competition’s history, CAF said.
Africa accounted for 20.8% of the teams at the World Cup but 28.1% of those that reached the knockout stage. CAF said the continent’s qualification rate was second only to UEFA.
Egypt and Morocco reached the Round of 16, while Morocco advanced to the quarter-finals for a second consecutive World Cup.
“Significant progress and successes were achieved by the African National Teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and I am very proud of their performances,” Motsepe said.
“The nine African National Teams that qualified from the Group Stage to the Round of 32 made history at the FIFA World Cup 2026, as this is 90% of the African National Teams that participated, and is the highest percentage to qualify to date.”
Motsepe said the proportion of African teams progressing to the knockout stages had stood at 40% in 2022, zero in 2018 and 40% in 2014.
“We have also identified specific areas where there is room for improvement and I am confident that the coaches, technical teams and players will implement the necessary improvements,” he said.
CAF plans to host a conference bringing together national team coaches, technical staff, former African internationals and other football experts to assess the continent’s performance and develop recommendations ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Motsepe said CAF would increase funding for coach education and hold training courses across its six regional zones.
The governing body would also focus on strengthening the African Schools Football Championship and partnerships between national football associations, governments and the private sector.
“Every National Team and Football Club must play its matches in their country and in front of their local supporters and fans,” Motsepe said.
“It is essential that in each of our 54 Member Association Countries there is a stadium that is at the requisite CAF and FIFA level.”
He added: “CAF is making enormous progress in developing and growing men and women football in Africa and making it amongst the best in the world. We remain confident that an African nation will be Champions of the FIFA World Cup.”
2027 Africa Cup of Nations
CAF said preparations were also progressing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda under the “Pamoja” banner.
The three governments were working with CAF on stadiums, training facilities, accommodation, transport, security, medical services, broadcasting, technology and other infrastructure required for the tournament, it said.
CAF has also launched bidding processes for countries interested in hosting the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
It said several prospective hosts had submitted bids and that announcements would be made later.
The governing body is separately launching a commercial rights invitation to tender covering the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments after receiving approaches from international marketing and commercial rights agencies.
CAF said the tender was intended to maximise financial returns and the commercial value of the competition, with revenue used to support football development across its 54 member associations.
CAF’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, on 21 November, with the support of the Nigerian government and the Nigeria Football Federation.
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