Women’s AFCON 2026: Morocco face South Africa again in quarter-final draw

The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 quarter-final line-up is complete, with hosts Morocco drawn against South Africa in a repeat of the 2022 final and a potentially difficult route to the title awaiting them.

The group stage has concluded and the knockout bracket is now set. The last-eight fixtures include two familiar rivalries, alongside two ties that will produce unexpected semi-finalists.

Morocco’s meeting with South Africa is a rematch of the 2022 final, when the Banyana Banyana won 2-1 in Rabat. The hosts will be seeking revenge, but victory would only be the first step in what could become a particularly demanding path to the final.

Should Morocco overcome South Africa, they could face Nigeria in the semi-finals. The Super Falcons are the most successful side in the history of the competition, having won 10 Africa Cup of Nations titles. Nigeria also defeated Morocco in the final of the previous edition last year, coming from behind to win 3-2 in Rabat.

The other traditional quarter-final rivalry will see Cameroon take on Nigeria. The two countries have met three times in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with Nigeria winning each occasion. Those victories came in 2004, 2014 and 2016.

However, neither South Africa nor Nigeria appears as dominant as in previous tournaments. The winners of the last two editions have each already suffered a defeat in the group stage, leaving the competition more open than expected as the knockout phase begins.

The other side of the draw offers a less familiar route to the last four. Cote d’Ivoire will meet Algeria, with both teams attempting to reach a semi-final that would represent a significant achievement.

Cote d’Ivoire are back at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 12-year absence. Algeria, meanwhile, have never gone beyond the quarter-final stage. Their meeting guarantees that at least one unexpected semi-finalist will emerge from that section of the bracket.

Malawi have also made a strong impression on their first appearance at the competition. They will now try to produce another surprise against Ghana, who finished third at the previous edition but have looked vulnerable during the group stage.

Ghana’s warning sign came in a 1-0 defeat by Cameroon. Malawi will hope that result points to another opportunity for an upset as they continue their remarkable debut campaign.

With the group stage producing setbacks for both recent champions and several established contenders, the final bracket remains unusually open. Morocco, though, have been handed one of the most difficult assignments: they must first eliminate South Africa before potentially facing the record 10-time champions Nigeria, the side that ended their challenge in the last final.