Super Sunday at Caf Wafcon as Nigeria make their bow

It will be a Super Sunday at the TotalEnergies Caf Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) with three fixtures to be played, including a first outing for Nigeria’s Super Falcons.

It is set to be the most competitive continental finals yet, with several nations having come on in leaps and bounds since the last tournament was played in Morocco in 2022.

Like any major finals, getting off to a positive start can lay the platform for success, and all six of Sunday’s competing teams will be targeting doing just that.

Senegal and DR Congo know they face a tough time to finish in the top two in group A, with powerhouses Zambia and Morocco also in the pool.

So victory in their opener at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammédia would be a huge boost to at least finish as one of the two best third-placed sides, which earns a quarterfinal place. Kick-off is at 16h00 CAT.

They look two evenly-matched sides, though Senegal won a pair of friendlies 12 months ago 2-0 and 1-0. That suggests they will be favourites.

Senegal reached the quarterfinals three years ago, where they were narrow losers to Zambia on penalties, and they have targeted the knockout rounds again as a minimum goal.

“It won't be easy with this group, but we have the objective of going back to the second round, because that's what it's all about, being consistent, but also consistent in our performance,” Senegal coach Mame Moussa Cisse told CAFOnline.

“So we're going to give ourselves the means to go to the quarterfinals, and even go beyond that level. And that's how the team will continue to grow.

“For me, I've always said, it's a process. You have to take it step by step. You have to have ambitions, but you also have to be realistic.”

DR Congo are appearing at the finals for the first time since 2012.

SUPER FALCONS FACE TUNISIA

Record nine-time winners Nigeria take on Tunisia in the first game in group B (kick-off 18h00 CAT).

They will be heavy favourites in the pool and are looking to regain the title they lost last time around, having not lifted the trophy since 2018.

Once again, they are stacked with talent and players who ply their trade in the best leagues in the world, and remain the gold standard in Africa, even if their competition has increased in recent years.

“It’s a tough group. On paper, we’re the favourites, clearly. But in this kind of tournament, that doesn’t mean anything,” says Nigeria midfielder Jennifer Echegini, who plays for Paris St Germain. “No team should be taken lightly. We’ll need to be focused from the first minute and never underestimate the opposition.

Tunisia reached the quarterfinals three years ago but lost narrowly to eventual winners South Africa.

They were upset by Kenya in the qualifiers for the 2026 TotalEnergies Caf Wafcon and were ousted, and also lost 3-1 to Morocco in a friendly in April.

Algeria will take on Botswana in the second group B game on Sunday (kick-off 22h00 CAT).

Algeria lost 3-0 to Senegal in a friendly this week, but before that, had been in good form. Botswana lost 3-2 to South Africa and drew 1-1 with Zambia in May, matches that did not produce wins but showed they can be competitive.

“Nigeria’s playing style is very different from Algeria or Tunisia. The latter two are very tactical, whereas Nigeria combines physical power with tactical discipline. So, we’ve prepared to face both types of opponents. Now we need to find a way to qualify for the next round,” Botswana coach Alex Malete said.