Algeria secure last-eight place as Ivory Coast eye top spot

Algeria have reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 for a second consecutive tournament and are likely to face Cote d’Ivoire in the last eight.

The Fennecs Dames finished second in Group A behind Morocco and will play the winners of Group B at the Stade Moulay Rachid in Casablanca on Saturday, 8 August. They will discover their opponents after the final round of Group B matches on Tuesday evening.

Farid Benstiti’s side have continued the progress made at the previous edition, when Algeria reached the quarter-finals for the first time. They began this year’s campaign with a 2-0 victory over Senegal before losing narrowly to hosts Morocco in the derby, going down 1-0.

A comfortable 2-0 win against Kenya on Monday secured their place in the knockout phase and confirmed Algeria’s position as runners-up in the group.

The most probable quarter-final opponents are Cote d’Ivoire, who currently lead Group B with four points and a goal difference of plus three. The Elephants need only a draw against Tanzania in their final group game to guarantee qualification and would be expected to finish top if they avoid defeat.

Cote d’Ivoire’s position represents a significant turnaround from their route into the tournament. They were eliminated by Senegal in a play-off but were brought back into contention through their FIFA ranking. Their return to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations followed a 12-year absence.

Reynald Pedros’ team made an immediate impact, defeating Burkina Faso 4-1 in their opening match before drawing 2-2 with South Africa after conceding a late equaliser. That result left them in a strong position before their meeting with Tanzania.

Only an unexpected defeat by Tanzania would prevent Cote d’Ivoire from being installed as Algeria’s likely opponents. Such a result could allow the Tanzanian side to challenge for first place in the section.

Burkina Faso also remain in contention for top spot, although they need to produce a surprise victory against South Africa and hope Cote d’Ivoire fail to win their own match.

South Africa are the highest-ranked side in the group on paper, but their performances in the tournament have been below expectations. The Banyana Banyana can finish no higher than second, meaning Algeria are certain to avoid them in the quarter-finals.

Algeria’s progress gives them another opportunity to move beyond the stage where their previous campaign ended. At the last edition, the Fennecs Dames were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Ghana after a penalty shoot-out.

The identity of their next opponents will be confirmed once Tuesday’s Group B fixtures have been completed, but the current standings point towards a meeting with Cote d’Ivoire in Casablanca.