WAFCON officially kicks off in Morocco

Hello there and welcome to Focus on Africa. I am Nkechi Obonna. The Women's African Football Cup of Nations, WAFCON, has kicked off in Morocco with an expanded 16 national teams vying for the title. We look at the mood of this tournament and the issues surrounding women's football on the continent.

I'm not seeing the publicity because also the concluded World Cup. Many people are not talking about like last time, before the previous month, before selecting the date, it was also changing, postponing. I think all those things were something that why things were not prepared. And Liberian officials seized cocaine worth over 300 million US dollars, the biggest in the country's history.

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It's Monday, July 27th. 16 teams, 5 stadiums and 4 automatic tickets to the World Cup in Brazil. The Women's Africa Cup of Nations, also known as WAFCON, has kicked off last Sunday with host country Morocco, defeating Kenya 4-0 in the opening match.

Kenya's Harambe starlets are making their first appearance at the tournament since 2016. This year, the stakes are higher than ever. CAF, the continent's football governing body, expanded the slots for the first time to 16 teams who will battle across venues in Rabat and Casablanca, all chasing regional glory

and a guaranteed ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Running till the 16th of August, the four semi-finalists will automatically qualify for next year's Women's World Cup, while the losing quarter-finalists will have another opportunity to reach the global stage through the intercontinental playoffs. We hear from fans across the continent capturing the

excitement and expectations as Africa's biggest women's football tournament unfolds. I've already begun enjoying the display of culture and heritage by various participating teams during their departure and arrival in Morocco. This tournament shouldn't just be about matches and the jerseys the players are wearing so women and girls know that they are more than

just being in kitchens the players should inspire women on the continent i think this year's wafcon has been really exciting and competitive the quality of football has been impressive actually and i think it shows how much women's boys continue to grow across africa this has been a huge statement for women's football in africa the quality has gone up competition up this was

exciting and the fans really showed up this time and it has also proved that when women's football gets the right visibility and investment people will actually catch on and support it i think the games have been exciting and it's great to see how you know women's football continues to go across you know africa the bdc's wayhiga moora spoke to zambian professional footballer and team

captain Barbara Banda on their preparation for the tournament. I don't think it affected us because I think this is what we needed and we needed more of preparations. It came in earlier so it gave us the time to adjust in one or two. Not really disappointed that it was postponed but also to give us more time to prepare. The tournament is coming just days after the FIFA World Cup.

How important would you say equal pay, equal treatment is in women's football? I mean, this time around, CAF have announced prize money has increased to $2 million. Is that a step in the right direction?

Yeah, I think it's a good motivation to the teams because women's football has really improved in so many areas. And for us, starting this world just right after the World Cup, we saw how African teams have performed at the World Cup.

We're really proud of them. and Africa has grown around the world. So it's a motivation for us also as women to compete in this competition. What do you make of the caliber of women players on the continent?

Do you feel that they are the same calibers as those who play elsewhere? You play overseas. How would you compare that? If you look at the leagues in Africa,

I think each country has developed with the league, the national leagues. So caliber can be the same because when you're playing professional out there, It takes a lot. So I think the experience that we bring in as professional players, that also keeps on encouraging our young girls that are coming up in our teams.

What are your predictions for your team at this WAFCON? Who do you see as strong competitors? Every team is here to compete. No one has just come here to participate, but, you know, every team has improved. So predicting, it's so very difficult for me. But I think whatever we get out of it, the best we have to do our level best so that we go out of the group stage.

And our aim as a team is to qualify to the World Cup and possibly win the Wafkwon. Many thanks to my colleague Wahiga Mwara speaking to Barbara Banda there. Now let's look beyond the results to examine what this expanded tournament means for the future of women's football in Africa. I spoke to Saini Sisoha Mboj, a Gambian football administrator and former national youth player

who made history as the first Gambian woman to hold an official staff position at a professional European football club. She shares her insights on WAFCON's growing impact, the progress women's football has made across the continent, and the work ahead. Seeing the African Club of Nations, some people will be asking, is it African Women Club of Nations? I've seen the publicity because also the concluded World Cup.

Many people are not talking about like last time. Before the previous month, before selecting the date, it was also changing, postponing. I think all those things were something that why things were not prepared. To my belief that I also expected that that should have been done better for people also to understand.