Algeria's Women's National Team Set to Compete in AFCON 2026
On July 24, 2026, the Algerian women’s national football team, led by federal bureau member Nadjma Derradji, arrived at Rabat-Salé Airport in Morocco in preparation for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026. This marks their second consecutive participation and the seventh in the team's history in the tournament's final phase. The competition, originally scheduled to take place from March 17 to April 3, was postponed to July and will kick off this Sunday, featuring an unprecedented 16 teams participating.
This is the third time in five years that Morocco has hosted this prestigious tournament, following the 2022 edition, where South Africa triumphed over the Lionesses of the Atlas (2-1) in the final, and the 2024 edition (played in 2025), where Nigeria emerged victorious against Morocco (3-2). In addition to vying for the coveted trophy, the stakes for this AFCON include securing one of the four spots available for the World Cup 2027 scheduled to be held in Brazil, along with two spots for the FIFA playoff matches.
Notably, the losing quarter-finalists will have a final chance to chase their global ambitions through playoff matches that will determine which two teams will participate in the FIFA playoff tournament. This tournament will feature ten nations: two from the AFC, two from the CAF, two from the CONCACAF, two from the CONMEBOL, one from the OFC, and one from UEFA. The first phase of the playoff tournament is set to occur in November and December 2026 at a centralized location, bringing together six teams based on the latest FIFA Women's World Rankings published prior to the draw.
The second phase will take place in February 2027 at a centralized venue, featuring the top two teams from the first phase alongside representatives from CONCACAF (2), CONMEBOL (1), and UEFA (1). The six participants will be split into three paths, leading to three knockout matches, with the final three spots for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 being decided in this stage. Teams from the same confederation will not face each other.
Before reaching that stage, the AFCON 2026 schedule begins with Algeria and Senegal kicking off the tournament this Sunday, July 26, at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat (6:00 PM), followed by the host nation Morocco facing Kenya (9:00 PM) at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
AFCON 2026 Group Stage Schedule
Sunday, July 26
- Olympic Stadium, Rabat (6:00 PM): Algeria vs. Senegal.
- Moulay El Hassan Stadium (9:00 PM): Morocco vs. Kenya.
Thursday, July 30
- Olympic Stadium, Rabat (7:00 PM): Senegal vs. Kenya.
- Moulay El Hassan Stadium (9:00 PM): Morocco vs. Algeria.
Monday, August 3
- Moulay El Hassan Stadium (9:00 PM): Senegal vs. Morocco.
- Olympic Stadium (9:00 PM): Kenya vs. Algeria.
Quarter-Finals and Beyond
Quarter-Final Schedule:
- Saturday, August 8 - 6:00 PM: Quarter-Final 2: 1st Group B vs. 2nd Group A
- Saturday, August 8 - 9:00 PM: Quarter-Final 1: 1st Group A vs. 2nd Group B
- Sunday, August 9 - 6:00 PM: Quarter-Final 4: 1st Group D vs. 2nd Group C
- Sunday, August 9 - 9:00 PM: Quarter-Final 3: 1st Group C vs. 2nd Group D.
Semi-Final Schedule:
- Wednesday, August 12 - 7:00 PM: Semi-Final 2: Winner Quarter 2 vs. Winner Quarter 3
- Wednesday, August 12 - 10:00 PM: Semi-Final 1: Winner Quarter 1 vs. Winner Quarter 4.
World Cup 2027 Playoff Matches:
Eliminated teams from the quarter-finals will still have a shot at pursuing their World Cup dreams, with matches scheduled for Thursday, August 13:
- 7:00 PM: Loser Quarter 2 vs. Loser Quarter 3.
- 10:00 PM: Loser Quarter 1 vs. Loser Quarter 4.
Finals:
- Third Place Match: Saturday, August 15 at 7:00 PM, featuring the losers of the semi-finals.
- Final: Sunday, August 16 at 9:00 PM, showcasing the winners of the semi-finals. The final will take place in Rabat at either the Moulay Hassan Stadium or the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, depending on CAF's decision.
As reported by footafrique.com.
