Above: Some stars of the competition posing at the WAFCON unveiling. Image: CAF Online.
By Emmanuel Faith (7/5/25).
One could rename this month of July “Women’s Football Summer” thanks to the array of ongoing captivating competitions. The Euros kicked off days ago, and the matches so far have given us a glimpse of what to expect; with powerhouses, underdogs, and great football surely to come.
Outside Europe, there are a couple other eye-catching competitions, and the one that’s grabbing attention at the moment is the Women Africa Cup of Nations, known as WAFCON.
History:
Founded in 1991 and re-christened in 1998, beyond the continental glory, the competition had also been the vehicle of World Cup qualification for the teams on the continent.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria has been the dominant force, having won it nine times out of thirteen. In fact, only two countries have won it outside of the West African queens.
Despite the dominance, there has been a slight shift in the 20th century, with countries like South Africa ending their near-success jinx while new forces are rising in North Africa (Morocco) and South Africa (Zambia).
These four countries represented the continent at the FIFA world cup in 2023, and two of them made it to the Olympics in 2024, signaling a new era for the continent.
The Women African Cup of Nations has always been filled with fanfare and thrill laced with glitz and glamour, and if you are online, you probably have seen a lot of players grace your screen in their eye-catching attire, depicting their culture, heritage and tradition.
But Africa is beyond the glitz, they are the quality, the resilience, the tenacity, the creativity and below are the reasons why you should follow WAFCON.
Global Spotlight:
While there is a lot of spotlight on Europeans, Africans have continued to make history and create new milestones. Until January, the most expensive women footballer in the world , Rachael Kundananji, was Zambian, as well as the second most expensive footballer, Barbra Banda .
The continent has continued to contribute to the wealth of the football world, directly and indirectly.
Above: Until January, these Zambian attackers were the first and second most expensive players in the world of women’s football. Image: NWSL.
Records:
The scorer of the fastest hat-trick in NWSL? A Zambian. Serie A top scorer in 2023? A Malawian. Fastest brace scored in the NWSL? A Nigerian.
If you follow the UEFA Women Champions League, the National Women Soccer League and other leagues, then you will be familiar with the great exploits African superstars perform week-in, week-out.
Wouldn’t it be even more exciting to watch them in their country’s colors making their nations proud?
Early exposure to future youngsters:
The Junior FIFA competitions often give platforms to upcoming talent the world needs to embrace, and we have seen it in players like Deborah Abiodun who bloomed in 2023, and Christabel Okuchukwu who burgeoned in 2024 (and scored with her first NWSL goal in 2025). WAFCON gives you the opportunity to witness unearthed gems from the continent, while giving you the front-row seat to their potential journey.
I could keep talking about the fandom, the excitement, the football culture, the array of colours, the music, the melody and a galore of other exciting spice, but I’d end with a simple advice;
Do not miss WAFCON for any reason. The opening match between the host, Morocco and powerhouse Zambia is already setting the tone for a great tournament. You should have your alarm set already.
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