Algeria set sights on Cameroon as Women’s AFCON 2026 qualifiers approach

Algeria’s women’s national team will begin preparations in September for their crucial double-header against Cameroon in the second round of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Fresh off their best-ever performance at the Women’s AFCON—held in Morocco in 2024—where they advanced beyond the group stage for the first time in six appearances, the Algerian side is already focused on the next major milestone.

Their efforts in the recent tournament were recognised by the Algerian Football Federation, which commended the squad and announced a performance-based bonus for players and coaching staff. Head coach Farid Benstiti, who guided the team through their historic run, has been retained in his position.

Ghaoutia Karchouni, who scored Algeria’s only goal of the tournament, and her teammates will regroup in September as they look to build on their momentum ahead of October’s home-and-away clash against Cameroon. The two legs are scheduled between October 20 and 28, 2025.

Algeria advanced to this stage after convincingly dispatching South Sudan in the opening round, with an aggregate score of 8-0 across two legs earlier this year.

A win over Cameroon in the second round will see the Greens qualify for the final tournament phase, tentatively scheduled for March 2026, pending final confirmation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Coach Benstiti has already begun preparations for the next international camp, assessing potential call-ups and drawing up an extended squad list.

However, he will be without two seasoned players—Naïma Bouhani and Lina Khelif—both of whom announced their international retirements following Algeria’s quarter-final exit to Ghana, a goalless draw that ended in a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat.

Given the short time frame before the October fixtures, Benstiti is expected to largely maintain the current core of the team, which proved effective in Morocco.

However, there may be opportunities for fresh talent to be introduced, especially in attack—a department where Algeria struggled at the last AFCON, scoring only once in four matches.

Despite this, the team displayed impressive defensive organisation, managing to keep clean sheets throughout the tournament.

The upcoming qualifiers form part of the wider race to reach the 18th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will, for the third consecutive time, be held in Morocco.

The tournament will again feature 12 teams, split into three groups of four, with the top two from each group and the two best third-placed teams progressing to the knockout stage.

Alongside Algeria vs. Cameroon, the October round will also feature several high-stakes matchups. These include Egypt vs. Ghana, Benin vs. Nigeria, and Senegal vs. Ivory Coast. The other fixtures are as follows:

• Angola vs. Malawi
• DR Congo vs. South Africa
• Tanzania vs. Ethiopia
• Namibia vs. Zambia
• Burundi/Burkina Faso vs. Djibouti/Togo
• Kenya/Tunisia vs. Gambia
• Guinea/Cape Verde vs. Mali

For Algeria, the spotlight now turns to how well they can capitalise on their recent breakthrough and whether they can continue their upward trajectory in African women’s football. The coming months will be decisive, and the clash with Cameroon could prove a defining moment in their journey towards AFCON 2026.