Algeria Eliminates Cameroon to Qualify for 2026 Women’s AFCON
Algeria has secured its place in the final phase of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), decisively overcoming Cameroon in the final qualifying round.
Following a crucial 2-1 victory over the Indomitable Lionesses in the first leg in Oran, the Algerian women repeated their success on Tuesday in the second preliminary round tie.
Qualification Secured in Douala
In a match held behind closed doors at the Reunification Stadium in Douala—a measure taken due to the tense post-electoral climate in Cameroon—the Vertes (The Greens) earned a tight 1-0 victory. This result gave them a comfortable 3-1 win on aggregate.
The decisive moment came in the 25th minute when Marine Dafeur netted the only goal of the encounter. This marks Dafeur’s second goal in as many games for the national team.
Women’s Team Avenge Men’s World Cup Heartbreak
The victory not only sees coach Farid Benstiti and his squad qualify for the group stage of the WAFCON in Morocco next year, but it also means the Cameroonian women miss out on the tournament for the second consecutive time.
Furthermore, the win offers a measure of revenge for the Algerian national program. The women’s qualification comes after the men’s team suffered a painful elimination from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at the hands of their Cameroonian counterparts, led by Vincent Aboubakar, in a crushing 1-2 defeat in Blida.
Qualified Teams
Algeria joins the host nation, Morocco, and other qualified teams: Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. The final spots are pending results from other late-evening playoffs, possibly featuring Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, or Senegal.
