Rabat, Saturday
The highly anticipated TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 officially kicks off in Morocco tomorrow (Sunday, July 26, 2026) setting the stage for an explosive double-header in Group A.
The tournament opens with a fiery clash between Algeria and Senegal, followed immediately by the blockbuster face-off where tournament hosts Morocco take on Kenya’s Harambee Starlets who are returning to the tournament after a 10-year hiatus.
The Starlets arrived in Rabat on Friday from a week-long training camp in Aix-en-Provence in Southern France with coach Beldine Odemba confident of a good outing in Morocco, happy that the tournament scheduled for earlier this year, initially, was pushed to July.
“I feel glad that the WAFCON was postponed which gave us another chance to be ready. We played friendlies that we deem good for us because we have played at least three highly-ranked teams and that was a good preparation for us,” the coach said.
Starlets back after 10 years
“It has been 10 years since we were last at WAFCON and we are really looking forward to our first match… it’s a privilege that we are meeting (hosts) Morocco in our first match and we will give it our best as we really want to win the first match and proceed.
“The last time we were at WAFCON we were not able to win a single match but this time, we are looking forward to a very good start,” the coach added.
Team captain Mwanahalima Adam said the team is ready and focused on the task ahead: “The technical bench has done everything and it’s our turn now.”
Coach Odemba is happy to have some players who have graduated from Kenya’s Under-17 team to the 2024 World Cup and also Under-20 graduates.
“They bring experience that Kenya never had. They have played in a World Cup and we have never had that experience. It’s good they understand the magnitude of a tournament bigger than the WAFCON.”
Match 1: Algeria vs Senegal (The Ultimate Opener):
The tournament bursts into life at 8:00pm Kenyan time as North African tactical discipline meets West African explosive power.
History heavily favors Algeria defensively - Senegal has famously never scored a single goal against a North African opponent across three previous competitive attempts.
However, Senegal enters the tournament on the back of impressive discipline, keeping three clean sheets in their last four WAFCON matches. With both squads entirely refreshed and chasing early control of Group A, this opening battle promises high tactical drama.
Match 1 Tactical Preview: Algeria vs. Senegal:
Algeria's Tactical Approach:
- Defensive Lock: Expect a rigid mid-block layout designed to choke out spaces. They lean heavily on physical challenges and positional discipline to frustrate oncoming attacks.
- Transition Play: The “Fennecs” prioritize clean recoveries in midfield before launching direct, direct ball transitions to their wingers to catch opponents overextended.
Senegal's Tactical Approach:
- The Clean Sheet Record: Senegal prefers a high-octane 4-3-3 structure. They actively lean on defensive stability, tracking back quickly to establish numbers behind the ball.
- Breaking the Streak: Desperate to break their North African scoring drought, look for their central midfielders to execute quick underlapping runs to drag Algerian defenders out of position.
Match 2: Morocco vs Kenya (The Host Defense):
Later in the evening at 11:00pm Kenyan time, the tournament atmosphere will reach a fever pitch at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat when host nation Morocco squares off against Kenya.
The Atlas Lionesses hold a formidable statistical edge, as host nations have historically won 11 out of the previous 13 WAFCON opening matches. Yet, the newly arrived Harambee Starlets are flying high in team spirit and looking to stage a massive upset on opening night to completely upend Group ‘A’.
Harambee Starlets at their pre-tournament training camp in Aix-en-Provence, Southern France, earlier this week. (Photo / FKF)
Match 2 Tactical Preview:Morocco vs Kenya:
Morocco's Tactical Approach:
- Possession & Pressing: The tournament hosts rely on a fluid 4-1-4-1 setup built entirely on high ball-retention, quick triangular passing, and aggressive counter-pressing when possession flips.
- Flank Dominance: Expect heavy overlapping runs from the Atlas Lionesses' full-backs to overload Kenya’s wider defensive sectors and flood the penalty box with driven crosses.
Kenya's Tactical Approach:
- Low Block & Counters: Facing a formidable host nation, the Harambee Starlets will logically adopt a compact defensive low block to absorb early pressure.
- Explosive Pace: Led by dynamic forwards like Mwanalima Adam and Violet Nanjala, Kenya’s game plan relies on long vertical clearances to spark breakaways and exploit Morocco’s high defensive line.
Group ‘A’ Opening Day Schedule (Kenyan times):
8pm: Algeria vs Senegal (Olympic Stadium, Rabat)
11pm: Morocco vs Kenya (Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat).
Kenya's WAFCON Squad:
