DISRESPECTFUL?: CAF boss Motsepe skirts disrespecting women’s soccer issue after Wafcon postponements

Wafcon is finally set to take place between 26 July and 16 August 2026. The women’s soccer event was originally scheduled to be played between March and April this year. But the tournament was inexplicably postponed just days before it was poised to take place. The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has never provided a concrete reason for the postponement, only saying it was “in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances”. Nigeria's defence of their 2024 Wafcon title has been delayed by more by three months. (Photo: Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP) Coincidentally, at the time of the postponement, CAF was studying a complaint by Morocco after their 1–0 defeat by Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final in January 2026. The Moroccans were livid that Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala allowed the match to proceed after the Senegalese staged a walk-off in protest, led by head coach Pape Thiaw. Senegal returned to complete the match and secured the win before Morocco filed a formal complaint with CAF. Not long after Wafcon was was postponed, CAF announced that the Senegalese had been stripped of their title, declaring Morocco as the reigning African champions. The federation confirmed the decision was based on Senegal’s walk-off in response to some key officiating decisions in the 2025 Afcon final.Wafcon 2026 uncertaintyConsidering that a number of qualified countries were already in camp preparing for participation in the biennial soccer spectacle, many within women’s soccer viewed CAF’s haphazard announcement of a postponement as disrespectful.Asked by Daily Maverick whether CAF has disrespected women’s soccer with two successive postponements, CAF president Patrice Motsepe danced around the question, but admitted that the federation could have done better.The previous Wafcon was also delayed by more than a year due to a clash with the 2024 Olympic Games. At least that was one of the weak reasons offered by CAF for that edition not taking place as scheduled. Players such as South Africa playmaker Linda Motlhalo will be on display at the 2026 Wafcon. (Photo: Darren Stewart / Gallo Images) “Part of how you do better, how you move in the right direction towards success, is to recognise the weaknesses and other things you can deal with differently and better,” Motsepe said in response to a Daily Maverick question on Wednesday, 22 July. “We gave the Wafcon to Morocco [to host for three editions]. Then when there were issues concerning the hosting of the 2026 Wafcon, I received many other proposals from other countries. They said ‘bring the Wafcon to us’. But we had to behave in a manner that is ethical and principled. So, it would have been incorrect to take [the hosting rights away from Morocco],” the CAF boss said.“We had to maintain mutual respect and trust [with the Moroccans]. Could we have done better? Absolutely! But we did the right thing by not having it [in March/April],” Motsepe said. “If we had it when it was originally scheduled to take place, we would have not been able to significantly increase the prize money as we have now.”Playing on home soil will have boosted the confidence of Moroccan stars such Fatima Tagnaout (left) at Wafcon 2026 (Photo: Paul Kane / Getty Images) Wafcon prize moneyAt the same press conference, Motsepe announced that CAF has increased the Wafcon prize money for the 2026 showpiece. The federation has doubled the winner’s prize, with this year’s champions set to walk away with $2-million (approximately R33-million). The runners-up will pocket $750,000. Each of the 16 participating countries will receive $150,000 in participation funding, while total prize money has been increased from $3.5-million to $5.8-million (around R97-million).“Women’s football is crucial. We should not just pay lip service to women’s football. We should do more than that. And a [significant increase] in the money we are allocating to women’s football is a substantial expression of confidence and commitment,” Motsepe said. Caf boss Patrice Motsepe downplayed the theory that the organisation disrepects women's soccer with consant postponements. (Photo: Mahugnon Leopold Soglo/Gallo Images) The 2026 tournament has also grown from 12 teams to 16. This includes host nation Morocco, as well as Zambia, Tanzania, Algeria, champions Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and Egypt. Plus two debutants in Malawi and Cape Verde. This edition of Wafcon is extra-crucial because it will serve as a qualifier for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup, set to be held in Brazil. The four teams that reach the semifinals will qualify directly for the global showpiece.