Morocco Women set for Cape Verde friendly as WAFCON 2026 moves to July

The Moroccan women’s national football team will take on Cape Verde women’s national football team this Saturday, March 7, in an international friendly at Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

The match is scheduled for 10 p.m. local time and forms part of the team’s preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026.

The fixture will be the Atlas Lionesses’ third friendly as head coach Jorge Vilda continues to fine tune his squad ahead of the continental tournament.

Morocco previously faced Burkina Faso women’s national football team in two preparation matches, recording an emphatic 5-0 victory in the first encounter before settling for a 1-1 draw in the second.

Those matches provided the coaching staff with the opportunity to rotate the squad, test tactical variations and offer valuable playing time to younger members of the team.

In the lead up to the Cape Verde clash, the team has also scheduled an open training session that will allow media representatives to observe the first 15 minutes. The initiative reflects the growing attention surrounding the women’s national team as the major tournament approaches.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has confirmed that the 2026 edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will no longer take place in March as originally planned. The competition, which Morocco is set to host, has been rescheduled and will now run from July 25 to August 16.

CAF explained that the change was made due to unforeseen circumstances and to ensure the tournament is organised successfully.

The decision followed consultations with partners including FIFA. Despite the adjustment, Morocco remains the confirmed host nation and preparations for the competition are continuing.

The 2026 tournament will also mark the first time the competition features 16 participating teams, expanding the scale of the event across the continent.

Even with the revised schedule, Morocco’s squad remains focused on maintaining its competitive edge. Friendly matches such as the upcoming encounter with Cape Verde are considered essential in helping the team build rhythm and cohesion ahead of the tournament.

The Atlas Lionesses have added motivation heading into the competition after reaching the final in the previous edition before losing to Nigeria women’s national football team.

With the tournament now moved to the summer, the Moroccan side has additional time to prepare as they aim to go one step further on home soil.

As hosts, Morocco have been drawn in Group A alongside Algeria women’s national football team, Senegal women’s national football team and Kenya women’s national football team.

Other groups include strong contenders such as South Africa women’s national football team and Ghana women’s national football team.

Several cities across the country will host matches during the tournament, including Rabat, Casablanca and Fez. The competition will take place at venues such as Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Al Medina Stadium, Stade Larbi Zaouli and Grand Stade de Fès.

Beyond the continental title, the stakes will be high as the four semifinalists will secure direct qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.