On Sunday, August 16, 2026, in Rabat, Morocco, Cameroon defeated Malawi 3–0 to become the new Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champion. It was a historic final that felt instantly unforgettable. Neither team had ever won the trophy before, and this made it only the third WAFCON final since 1998 where both sides were chasing their first continental crown. Cameroon had already reached the final in 2004, 2014, and 2016 but lost each time to Nigeria. Malawi, on the other hand, was living a dream. This was their first participation at WAFCON, and they climbed all the way to the final after eliminating teams such as Ghana and Algeria.

This expanded edition of WAFCON began three weeks ago with 16 teams instead of the previous 12, and it delivered excitement from the opening whistle. Malawi, led by the lethal Chawinga sisters Tabitha and Temwa, made a sensational debut. They started with a stunning 3–2 victory over defending champions Nigeria, followed by a confident 3–1 win over Egypt to finish top of Group C despite a narrow 2–1 loss to Zambia. Their momentum carried into the knockout rounds where they defeated Ghana 2–1 in the quarter-finals and produced another commanding performance to beat Algeria 3–1 in the semi-finals.

Cameroon’s journey was a story of discipline, resilience, and redemption. The Indomitable Lionesses went through the group stage unbeaten, then eliminated 10-time champions Nigeria in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, they knocked out host nation Morocco in a tense 3–1 penalty shootout thanks to an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Michaely Bihina who had a superb tournament from start to finish. Cameroon’s defense was rock solid and conceded only two goals throughout the entire competition. Their triumph becomes even more remarkable when you consider that they missed the 2024 edition of WAFCON and only advanced to these finals because of their world ranking after CAF expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams.

The final itself belonged entirely to Cameroon. Marie Ngah Manga scored twice and was named Best Player of the Final, and Naomi Ndjoah Eto added the third goal to seal the victory. With this title, Cameroon becomes the fourth nation to lift the WAFCON trophy, joining Nigeria’s Super Falcons, South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, and Equatorial Guinea. It was a spectacular ending to a spectacular tournament. Congratulations to the 2026 WAFCON. Both teams are already qualified for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.