Egypt’s women’s national team made a strong statement in their 2026 African Nations Cup qualifying campaign, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Friday in Kigali.
The breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Habiba Hafez found the net, putting Egyptian Women in control of their path to the next stage. Despite Rwanda’s relentless efforts to equalize, Egypt’s defense stood firm, shutting down every attacking move to preserve the crucial win.
With this result, Egypt moves closer to advancing to the final stage of the qualifiers. The second leg is set for next Tuesday at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia, where the Pharaohs will aim to complete the job in front of their home crowd.
If Egypt advances, a showdown with Ghana awaits in October for a spot in the tournament. The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco, featuring 12 of the continent’s top teams.
Egyptian Women are determined to end their long absence from the competition, having last qualified in 2016.
