The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations begins in Rabat on Sunday with a group built around one clear favourite and three teams unwilling to accept supporting roles.
Morocco are playing at home, have reached the last two finals and enter this tournament under a different level of expectation. Reaching the knockout rounds would no longer be enough. Even competing for the title again would not necessarily make the tournament a success.
Jorge Vilda’s side need to win it.
Behind them, the order is far less obvious. Algeria are coming off the best Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in their history and completed their preparations with two encouraging results against Zambia. Senegal have reached the quarter-finals in each of the last two editions, but enter the tournament after losing four players from their training camp because of administrative problems. Kenya return for the first time since 2016 with a young squad and an ambition that extends far beyond merely surviving the group.
Only the top two teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. There is no route through for the best third-placed sides. Every point will matter from the opening day.
Morocco: after two finals, only victory is missing
Morocco have moved beyond the status of an emerging project.
They finished as runners-up in 2022, reached the final again in 2024 and, between those two tournaments, advanced to the last 16 on their Women’s World Cup debut. Their rise has been too rapid and too visible for expectations to be lowered now.
The Atlas Lionesses begin as favourites to win the group and as one of the leading contenders for the title. They will also carry a pressure none of their three opponents have experienced. The tournament is being staged in Morocco again, and the hosts are no longer chasing a historic final. They are chasing the trophy that has escaped them twice.
Jorge Vilda has retained the main structure of his team. Ghizlane Chebbak remains its technical and emotional reference point, supported by players such as Khadija Er-Rmichi, Nouhaila Benzina, Yasmin Mrabet, Sakina Ouzraoui and Ibtissam Jraidi. Morocco have experience, talent and a squad accustomed to competing under significant expectations.
Their final warm-up strengthened that sense of confidence. On Tuesday, they defeated Cape Verde 5-0, with Sanaa Mssoudy scoring a hat-trick and Jraidi and Mrabet adding the other goals. A friendly result guarantees nothing, but it allows the hosts to begin the tournament with attacking confidence and with more solutions than their usual dependence on their most recognisable names.
Their opening match against Kenya should provide an opportunity to establish their authority immediately. The true measure of their group campaign, however, will come four days later against Algeria.
Algeria: proving the quarter-final was no exception
Algeria arrive in Morocco in the strongest period of their recent history.
At the previous Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, they progressed beyond the group stage for the first time and reached the quarter-finals. They then confirmed that progress during qualification for this edition, eliminating Cameroon with a 2-1 victory in Oran and a 0-1 win in Douala.
Farid Benstiti has retained much of the squad responsible for that breakthrough, while also refreshing the team. The final list includes seven tournament debutants and leaves out several experienced players. The coach has attempted to broaden his options without abandoning a recognisable structure built around Chloé N’Gazi, Sofia Guellati, Inès Belloumou, Marine Dafeur, Mélinne D’Oria and Lina Boussaha.
Their final two friendlies have raised expectations.
Algeria drew 1-1 with Zambia on Sunday before beating the same opponents 1-0 on Wednesday, with Nouhed Naili scoring the late winner. Zambia are among the continent’s most dangerous attacking teams, making two competitive performances against them a meaningful test before the tournament.
Algeria’s main challenge will be to take another step in possession. Their defensive strength allowed them to progress at the previous edition and eliminate Cameroon, but this group will demand more than resistance. Against Senegal, in the opening match of the entire competition, Algeria have an immediate opportunity to gain an advantage in the battle for second place.
Senegal: continuity disrupted at the last moment
Senegal had prepared for the tournament from a position of stability.
Mame Moussa Cissé has led the national team since 2019 and built a recognisable, intense side that is difficult to disrupt. The Lionesses of Teranga reached the quarter-finals in 2022 and repeated that achievement in 2024. Their stated objective in Morocco is to reach the semi-finals for the first time.
Young goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye, who did not concede a goal during qualifying, represents the team’s development well. At 19, she has already become one of Senegal’s most promising players. The squad also retains footballers with international experience and a core that has shared several competitive cycles.
Their preparations, however, have suffered a significant setback.
The Senegalese Football Federation announced on 20 July that Mikaela Bottega, Mariama Deen Touré, Aminata Keita and Mady Soumaré could not be registered because their naturalisation processes had not been completed before the CAF deadline. All four had taken part in the training camp but will not be able to play in the tournament.
The federation said they would be replaced. As of 23 July, it had not issued a further public announcement officially identifying the four replacements.
The problem does not remove Senegal from contention, but it has disrupted the calm with which they had been approaching the tournament. Before the registration issue emerged, the team played two friendlies against Egypt, winning the first 1-0 and losing the second by the same scoreline.
Senegal still have enough quality to progress. What they no longer have is the luxury of easing their way into the competition.
Kenya: returning is not the final objective
Kenya are the least experienced team in the group, but perhaps also the most difficult to assess.
The Harambee Starlets had previously appeared at only one Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, in 2016. Ten years later, they return with a squad beginning to reflect the work carried out at youth level.
Several members of the team that competed at the 2024 Under-17 Women’s World Cup have already reached the senior side. Elizabeth Ochaka, Valerie Nekesa, Lorna Faith, Marion Serenge and Pearl Olesi belong to a generation that has grown up competing beyond the usual boundaries of Kenyan women’s football and is now beginning to demand a place in the senior national team.
Beldine Odemba has selected 24 players and completed the final stage of preparation at a training camp in France. The coach has not presented qualification as a reward or an end point. Kenya have spoken openly about trying to reach the semi-finals.
On paper, they begin as the fourth favourites. Morocco have greater individual quality, Algeria arrive with more defensive solidity and Senegal possess more recent tournament experience. Kenya can nevertheless disrupt the group if they keep matches competitive and transfer the energy of their younger players onto the continental stage.
Their opening game against the hosts is the most difficult test possible. The match that may prove truly decisive will come four days later against Senegal.
Algeria–Senegal could shape the group immediately
The opening round brings together the two teams most likely to compete for second place.
Algeria and Senegal meet on Sunday at 18:00 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat. Three hours later, Morocco begin their campaign against Kenya at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
Victory in the opening match would allow either Algeria or Senegal to approach the rest of the group from a position of strength. A draw would keep qualification open, but would increase the pressure on their matches against Kenya and their need to take something from Morocco.
The hosts should finish first. They have the squad, experience and favourable setting to do so. This group, however, is about more than identifying which team will accompany the favourites.
Algeria need to prove that their progress is permanent. Senegal want to turn two quarter-finals into a semi-final. Kenya return after a decade away without accepting that their presence alone is enough.
Morocco carry all the obligation. The other three teams will compete to take advantage of it.
Group A fixtures (Morocco local time)
Sunday, 26 July
- Algeria v Senegal, 18:00
- Morocco v Kenya, 21:00
Thursday, 30 July
- Senegal v Kenya, 18:00
- Morocco v Algeria, 21:00
Monday, 3 August
- Senegal v Morocco, 21:00
- Kenya v Algeria, 21:00
All Group A matches will be played in Rabat.