The curtains have officially fallen on the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with the outstanding performers of the tournament recognised after a historic competition in Morocco.

Newly crowned champions Cameroon dominated the individual awards, with several players earning recognition for their impressive contributions, while Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga claimed the prestigious Golden Boot award.

Cameroon midfielder Monique Ngock was named the TotalEnergies Woman of the Competition after an outstanding tournament that saw her play a key role in the Indomitable Lionesses’ historic title-winning campaign.

Ngock’s performances throughout the competition helped Cameroon secure their first-ever WAFCON trophy after defeating debutants Malawi in the final.

Malawi forward Temwa Chawinga finished as the tournament’s top scorer, winning the PUMA Golden Boot after scoring five goals and providing two assists.

Chawinga edged Cameroon’s Marie Gisèle Ngah Manga, who also finished the tournament with five goals, including a brace in the final that helped Cameroon lift the continental title.

Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina was rewarded for her outstanding displays between the posts, winning the Best Goalkeeper award after playing a crucial role in the champions’ successful campaign.

The Fair Play Award went to Algeria for their discipline and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.

The 2026 WAFCON ended with Cameroon lifting their first African women’s football title, Malawi finishing as historic runners-up in their debut appearance, and both teams securing qualification to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil alongside the other top-performing African nations.

Cameroon have been crowned champions of Africa for the first time after defeating tournament debutants Malawi in the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The Indomitable Lionesses produced a dominant first-half display, scoring three goals before the break to take control of the final.

Marie Gisèle Ngah Manga was the star of the occasion, scoring twice, while Eto added another goal as Cameroon built a commanding advantage.

Malawi, who were appearing in their first-ever WAFCON tournament, could not complete another fairytale comeback as Cameroon held on to secure their maiden continental title.

The victory marks Cameroon’s first WAFCON triumph after four previous final appearances. The Indomitable Lionesses had reached the final on three occasions before (2004, 2014 and 2016) but missed out on the trophy each time.

Ngah Manga capped off an outstanding tournament with a brace in the final, taking her tally to five goals and earning the Woman of the Match award.

For Malawi, the journey has been nothing short of historic. The debutants shocked the continent by reaching the final after eliminating Ghana in the quarterfinals and Algeria in the semifinals.

They also announced their arrival on the big stage by defeating 10-time champions Nigeria 3-2 in their opening group-stage match.

Despite falling short in the final, Malawi’s remarkable campaign has earned them a place among Africa’s elite and secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Cameroon and Malawi will both represent Africa at the global tournament, having finished among the top four teams at WAFCON 2026, which also served as the continent’s qualification pathway for the World Cup.

The 2026 WAFCON final will be remembered as the night Cameroon finally lifted the African women’s football crown after years of waiting, while Malawi completed one of the greatest debut campaigns in the history of the competition.

Ghana’s Black Queens have kept their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil alive after fighting back to defeat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 play-in match.

The victory means Ghana have advanced to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament, where they will continue their quest for a place at the global showpiece.

The Black Queens had a difficult start to the encounter as Côte d’Ivoire took the lead in the second minute after Princess Marfo was adjudged to have committed a foul inside the penalty area. The Ivorians converted the resulting spot kick to put Ghana under early pressure.

Early in the second half, Stella Nyamekye thought she had restored parity for Ghana, but her effort was ruled out, denying the Black Queens a quick comeback.

However, Ghana continued pushing and were eventually rewarded in the 58th minute when Princess Marfo rose highest to head home the equaliser and bring the Black Queens level.

The momentum shifted in Ghana’s favour, and the team completed the comeback in the 72nd minute through Josephine Bonsu, who calmly converted from the penalty spot after a handball offence by Côte d’Ivoire. The penalty was won by Grace Asantewaa, whose effort helped create the decisive moment that gave Ghana the lead.

Princess Marfo was rewarded for her outstanding performance with the Woman of the Match award after scoring Ghana’s equaliser and playing a key role in the team’s attacking efforts.

Following their quarterfinal exit to Malawi, Ghana entered the play-in route alongside the other WAFCON quarterfinal losers. The winners of the African play-in matches advance to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament, where they will compete for one of the remaining World Cup slots through the inter-confederation qualification process.

The Black Queens now move one step closer to returning to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2007, but they must navigate the global play-off stage to complete their qualification journey.