A total of two-hundred-and-eighteen (218) goals were scored in fifty eight (58) matches played in the qualifying stages of the CAF TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The twelve participating countries have been confirmed, including Morocco who qualified automatically as hosts of the 12th edition of this tournament from 2-23 July 2022.
Four more teams have been added to the regular eight, making this the first time that 12 twelve nations will contest the women’s continental title.
The increase in the number of teams has paved the way for new sides to take part in the competition for the first time ever.
The qualified teams are Morocco (hosts), Nigeria (defending champions), South Africa, Cameroon, Zambia, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda and debutants, Burundi, Botswana, Togo and Burkina Faso.
The tournament also doubles as the African qualifiers to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand.
The top four teams in Morocco will represent the African continent at the event, with two more teams advancing to the inter-confederation play-offs.[3]
Nigeria are the three-time defending champions, having won the tournament in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
The 2020 edition, which would have been the first to feature twelve teams, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The date for the final draw is yet to be announced.
The twelve nations will be drawn into three groups of four teams, with hosts Morocco automatically seeded and assigned Position A1 in the pot.
The seedings will be based on their performance at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations final tournament and qualification for the 2022 edition.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| Morocco (H) | Cameroon | Burkina Faso | Senegal |
First round results:
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Uganda | 2–2 (2–1 p) | Ethiopia | 2–0 | 0–2 |
| Kenya | 15–1 | South Sudan | 8–0 | 7–1 |
| Eritrea | 0–6 | Burundi | 0–5 | 0–1 |
| Djibouti | w/o[A] | Rwanda | — | — |
| Malawi | 3–4 | Zambia | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| Tanzania | 3–5 | Namibia | 1–2 | 2–3 |
| Zimbabwe | 6–1 | Eswatini | 3–1 | 3–0 |
| Angola | 1–7 | Botswana | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Mozambique | 0–13 | South Africa | 0–7 | 0–6 |
| Algeria | w/o[B] | Sudan | 14–0 | — |
| Egypt | 2–7 | Tunisia | 2–6 | 0–1 |
| Equatorial Guinea | w/o[C] | DR Congo | — | — |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | w/o[D] | Togo | 0–5 | — |
| Congo | 2–2 (a) | Gabon | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Central African Republic | 0–3 | Cameroon | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| Sierra Leone | 1–3 | Gambia | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Liberia | 1–8 | Senegal | 1–2 | 0–6 |
| Mali | 4–2 | Guinea | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2–0 | Mauritania | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Burkina Faso | 5–2 | Benin | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Nigeria | 2–1 | Ghana | 2–0 | 0–1 |
| Niger | 0–20 | Ivory Coast | 0–9 | 0–11 |
Notes:
- Djibouti won on walkover and advanced to the second round after Rwanda withdrew before the first leg citing lack of preparation due to no local championship being contested since 2018.
- The second leg match between Sudan and Algeria initially scheduled for 26 October was postponed and later cancelled due to security concerns following theOctober 2021 Sudanese coup d’état.
- Equatorial Guinea won on walkover and advanced to the second round after DR Congo failed to appear for the first leg.
- Togo won on walkover and advanced to the second round after São Tomé and Príncipe withdrew from the second leg in Togo.
Second round results
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Uganda | w/o[A] | Kenya | — | — |
| Burundi | 11–1 | Djibouti | 6–1 | 5–0 |
| Zambia | 1–1 (a) | Namibia | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Zimbabwe | 3–3 (a) | Botswana | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| South Africa | 3–1 | Algeria | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Tunisia | 7–3 | Equatorial Guinea | 5–0 | 2–3 |
| Togo | 4–2 | Gabon | 2–1 | 2–1 |
| Cameroon | 10–1 | Gambia | 8–0 | 2–1 |
| Senegal | 1–1 (3–2 p) | Mali | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 0–7 | Burkina Faso | 0–6 | 0–1 |
| Nigeria | 3–0 | Ivory Coast | 2–0 | 1–0 |
- Uganda won on walkover and advanced to the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations after Kenya withdrew before the first leg.
We take a closer look at the qualified nations:
The qualified teams are Morocco (hosts), Nigeria (defending champions), South Africa, Cameroon, Zambia, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda and debutants, Burundi, Botswana, Togo and Burkina Faso
South Africa: (Banyana Banyana)
- 5-time runners up – 1995, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018
- 12th consecutive appearance since 1998
- One of three COSAFA representatives
- World Cup – France 2019
- Olympics – 2012, 2016
- Ranking – 56 (W) – 3 (CAF)
Morocco: (Atlas Lionesses)
- Hosts
- North Africa – UNAF
- 3rd appearance
- Last tournament – 2000
- Olympics – 2020
- Ranking: 78 (W) – 8 (CAF)
Zambia: (Copper Queens)
- 2nd successive qualification
- 3rd AWCON
- COSAFA (Southern Africa)
- Ranking: 98 (W) – 13 (CAF)
Botswana: (The Mares)
- Debutants
- COSAFA (Southern Africa)
- Rankings (154 (W) – 29 (CAF)
Burundi (The Swallows)
- Debutants
- CECAFA (East and Central Africa)
- Currently, they are unranked on the FIFA Women’s World Rankingsfor not having played more than five matches against officially ranked teams.
Tunisia: (The Carthage Eagles)
- 2nd appearance
- Last qualification – 2008
- UNAF (North Africa)
- Ranking: 74 (W) – 7 (CAF)
Togo: (Female Sparrowhawk)
- Debutant
- WAFU (West Africa)
- Currently, they are unranked on the FIFA Women’s World Rankingsfor not having played more than five matches against officially ranked teams.
Burkina Faso
- Debutants
- WAFU (West Africa)
- Ranking: 136 (W) – 22 (CAF)
Nigeria: (Super Falcons)
- 13th appearance since the start
- 9 titles
- Defending champions
- WAFU (West Africa)
- Ranking: 41 (W) – 1 (CAF)
Senegal
- 2nd qualification
- Last appearance – 2012
- WAFU (West Africa)
- Ranking: 89 (W) – 11 (CAF)
Cameroon: (Indomitable Lionesses)
- 12th appearance
- 3-time runners up
- UNIFFAC (Central Africa)
- Ranking: 53 (W) – 2 (CAF)
Uganda: (Crested Cranes)
- 2nd qualification
- Last appearance – 2000
- CECAFA (East and Central Africa)
- 156 (W) – 30 (CAF)
By Matlhomola Morake (additional reporting by CAF.online)
