WAFCON 2026: Morocco, South Africa Clash for Semi-Final Spot, World Cup Ticket

Morocco and South Africa will face off in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday, with a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup at stake.

The match is scheduled for 9pm local time at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, with the winner securing a place in the last four and an automatic ticket to next year’s global tournament in Brazil.

The fixture is a repeat of the 2022 WAFCON final, when South Africa defeated hosts Morocco 2-1 in Rabat to win their first continental title.

Hildah Magaia scored twice for South Africa in that final before Rosella Ayane pulled one back for Morocco.

Morocco are seeking to reach the semi-finals for the third time and are appearing in the quarter-finals for the third consecutive edition. The hosts advanced from Group A after winning against Kenya and Algeria before drawing 0-0 with Senegal.

The draw extended Morocco’s impressive defensive record at the tournament. They became the first Moroccan side to complete a WAFCON group stage without conceding a goal, while goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi has recorded three clean sheets in the current competition.

Morocco have won both of their previous quarter-finals, beating Botswana 2-1 in 2022 and Mali 3-1 in 2024.

Coach Jorge Vilda has also enjoyed a strong record in charge of the team, losing only one of his nine WAFCON matches. That defeat came against Nigeria in the 2024 final.

South Africa, meanwhile, are making their third quarter-final appearance after reaching this stage in 2022 and 2024.

Banyana Banyana are targeting their 12th WAFCON semi-final and a 10th consecutive appearance in the last four. They secured their place in the knockout stage after beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in their final group match.

The victory ended a five-match run without a win in open play for Desiree Ellis’ side.

Thembi Kgatlana will be one of South Africa’s key attacking threats after scoring against Burkina Faso. The goal was her eighth at the WAFCON.

South Africa have won six of the seven WAFCON matches in which Kgatlana has scored.

The quarter-final also presents a significant historical challenge for South Africa, who have faced tournament hosts seven times previously at the WAFCON. Their only victory in those matches came against Morocco in the 2022 final.

Morocco will be hoping to use home advantage to reach another semi-final and continue their pursuit of a first WAFCON title.

For South Africa, the match offers an opportunity to continue their dominance in the latter stages of the competition and move closer to retaining their continental crown.

Beyond the rivalry and history, Saturday’s winner will earn two major rewards: a place in the WAFCON semi-finals and automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.